The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Job Search Campaign

Trying to spread the word about your job search? Maybe you should create a job search campaign.

When it comes to landing a job fast, job seekers who have a strong personal brand and networking skills are the ones who get their foot in the door. With 93 percent of recruiters looking at candidates’ social profiles, having an online presence is key to any job search.

A job search campaign is very similar to a public relations campaign. The goal is to create awareness and build relationships. When you create a job search campaign, however, you take the elements of your personal brand and use them to inform your networks about your job search.

You don’t have to be an expert in public relations or marketing to successfully promote your job search. All you have to do is follow these three simple steps for creating a job search campaign:

STEP 1: Create your strategy.

Before you can begin your job search, you need a strategy. Your strategy is crucial because it helps you organize your job search.

To help you get started with your job search strategy, here are some guidelines to follow:

1. Define your goal.

Create your goal by following the guidelines for SMART goals -- specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. This goal will be essential to keeping you focused during your job search as you apply for positions and network with employers.

As you think about your career goal, brainstorm a list of ideas. Once you’ve created a list of goals, here’s a template you can follow to write an effective SMART goal:

“To secure a job in [your area of expertise] with [type of organization] by [date].”

If you need some inspiration for your job search goal, take a look at these examples:

• To secure a graphic design job with an advertising agency by August 1, 2014.

• To secure four interviews for data analyst positions by July 14, 2014.

2. Create objectives.

After defining your goal, create measurable job search objectives. Your objectives will serve as the steps you take during your job search.

For example, here are some objectives you can create to help you stay accountable during your job search:

• Apply for three jobs a week in order to increase job opportunities.

• Follow up within 7-10 days of every job application.

• Participate in one Twitter chat a week to network with employers and professionals.

• Send one networking email per day to employers, professionals, or recruiters within the next two weeks.

STEP 2: Choose your tactics.

Once you have your goal and objectives in place, create tactics to implement your strategy. These tactics will be the driving force behind the promotion of your job search in order to get noticed by employers.

Here are some job search tactics you can easily implement:

1. Social media.

Social media is an extremely powerful resource for today’s job seeker. According to Jobvite’s 2014 Job Seeker Nation Report, 21 percent of four-year college graduates rely heavily on social media for their search.

Some popular platforms job seekers use include LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, and Facebook. In fact, 76 percent of job seekers found their current job through Facebook. As you can tell, social media is becoming very effective for job seekers.

2. Personal website or online portfolio.

Nearly every job seeker can benefit from creating a website or online portfolio. Even if it’s a simple website displaying your resume and a professional biography, this will increase your chances of getting noticed by recruiters and employers online.

There are a variety of platforms you can use to create a website. WordPress, Weebly, Wix, and Blogger are just a few of the different platforms available to help you build a professional website.

3. Email marketing campaign.

Take a moment to think about your favorite brands and blogs you receive weekly emails from. What is usually the content you receive in those emails? Chances are, many of those emails contain promotions about the brand’s product, services, or content they believe is valuable for you to read.

To create an email marketing campaign for your job search, you’ll implement a similar strategy.

The first step of designing your email marketing campaign is to create an email list containing the names of hiring managers and recruiters you plan to get in touch with. Next, you need to draft the email template you’ll send to employers.

Your email template should include an attention-grabbing subject line, friendly introduction, a brief yet engaging body, some samples from your portfolio, and a closing. Once you have your email ready, you can begin networking with employers.

4. Content marketing.

If you aren’t familiar with content marketing, this is a tactic many brands use to build awareness about their product or service online.

As a job seeker, focus on what you have to offer employers. A good way to promote your offering is by blogging and sharing content.

If you’re serious about blogging, write about your professional experiences and promote your content to employers and recruiters in your industry. You can also share content relevant to your field to show your interest in industry trends.

Another content marketing tactic you can take advantage of is becoming an industry expert. Invest some of your job search in commenting on industry blogs and open forums. This will get you noticed by more professionals and employers in your field.

STEP 3: Promote yourself wherever you go.

The final step of your job search PR campaign is to become a walking billboard for your brand.

If you want to get noticed by employers, you need to get your personal brand known. To do this, attend networking events and workshop, join professional organizations, and even create some promotional materials.

It’s also a good idea to focus on word of mouth when searching for a job. Be sure to tell your friends, colleagues, and online networks you are actively searching for employment.

You don’t need to be a PR professional to build a strong personal brand and job search campaign. With a little creativity, focus, and dedication, you’ll build more brand awareness for yourself and get noticed by employers.

What tips do you have for job seekers looking to promote their job search?

Image Courtesy of Bigstock

About Heather R. Huhman:

Heather R. Huhman is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder & president of Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for job search and human resources technologies. She is also the instructor of Find Me A Job: How To Score A Job Before Your Friends, author of Lies, Damned Lies & Internships (2011) and #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle (2010), and writes career and recruiting advice for numerous outlets. Follow Heather below to receive all her articles!