Part 1 – Product Development
I am not a marketer by trade. However I have always had to dabble with it in regard to the various roles I have played in life. I may not remember much from my college days and marketing classes, but I do remember the four Ps of marketing—Product, Price, Promotion and Place. Interestingly enough, if the job hunt or career search is thought of in these terms, there are many parallels.
When pursuing a job, the job hunter becomes the product in a real sense, endeavoring to sell himself for a salary or wage. He will use various promotional techniques in the resume, cover letter, and interviewing process. His desire is to accomplish the purpose of finding a job in the place he wants to live and also fits best in regard to his unique design. In my next several entries, I want to focus on the four Ps with this analogy in mind.
First of all, let’s take a look at you as a product. Did you ever notice that Apple does not need a sales force to sell their IPhone? No one calls you with tempting buy-one-get-one-free offers begging you to try one for thirty days. Instead people stand in line outside of the Apple store just to get in. Why? Because the IPhone is a superior product. As a job-hunter, you need to assess yourself from an employer’s standpoint. Are you a good product for his money? How can you enhance your marketability by increasing your product value? The better product you are, the less you’ll need to focus on promoting, selling yourself, and even begging for the price or salary you need.
With that in mind, here are a few ways to boost your showroom value.
Gain experience. Volunteer. Secure part-time work. Participate in continuing education-type workshops to enhance your transferable skills and areas of special knowledge. Anything you can do to gain experience is important. Do investigative research on needed skills for the particular career you are interested in and then pursue online classes in that area. Need to know more about human behavior, budgeting, or managing projects? Take a class.
Whatever your passions, look for ways to utilize and develop them, even at home or at personal expense. Depending on your actual career pursuit, you can even start your own business. Build websites, start a blog, submit articles for magazine publication, remodel your bathroom—the possibilities are endless.
Get certified or credentialed. Looking to do auto work, serve in home health care, or sell make-up? Chances are, whatever the pursuit, there is a national group that provides certification. Research to find the best certifying agent and become a “certified” home health care professional, mechanic, etc. If there is no certification available, increase your qualifications by doing local workshops on a topic related to the field you are interested in. Write a pamphlet or gain a following on a blog in your knowledge area. All these ideas can help prove to people that you have qualities in these areas.
Almost every career involves good communication skills. Once again, do some research and look for ways to enhance these skills in specific provable ways. Find the best options for how the abilities are needed in your career of interest. Perhaps you will need to teach a Sunday school class, conduct a workshop on making photo albums, or develop PowerPoints for sale on a presentation website. Choose to do whatever avenue you like. In the process you gain verifiable communication skills.
Finally, build a network. Join local groups that revolve around your desired career. It may be a Rotary club, golf club, cooking club, pastor’s fellowship or Habitat for Humanity. If you enjoy an interest, there probably is a group in your area who meets to chat about it. These are great occasions to make contacts that can help you secure a job at some point in the future.
Enhancing the product, promotion, and price negotiations becomes a whole lot easier.
Tags: career advice, Finding God's will, Life ambition, planning