HASHTAGS VS. HARD COPY RESUMES: GUERRILLA JOB SEARCH TACTICS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS

J. M. HENDERSON

@GENERATIONMEH

WHO AM I?

• Founder, Secret Agent Research

• Journalist, Forbes

• Media Expert, Millennial Culture

• @GenerationMeh

IF YOU REMEMBER NOTHING ELSE

All communication is interpersonal

IF YOU REMEMBER TWO THINGS

People care about what’s in it for them. Appeal to self-interest, not altruism.

IF YOU REMEMBER THREE THINGS

If the first time a hiring manager hears from you is when you email them your resume, you’re doing it WRONG.

THE FOUR CS OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Connection• Curation• Context• Currency

CONNECTION

Networking is the best way to find a job. Being well-networked is what’s truly effective.

Unfortunately, your network probably sucks.

HOW DO YOU GET CONNECTED?

• Find the right people (CURATION)

• Figure out the right conversation/platform/opportunity (CONTEXT)

• Offer something of value (CURRENCY)

HOW DO YOU GET CONNECTED?

• Find the right people (CURATION)

• Figure out the right conversation/platform/opportunity (CONTEXT)

• Offer something of value (CURRENCY)

CURATION1. Identify where you want to work

2. Scope out their social media presence

• Twitter (most open)

• Facebook

• LinkedIn (most intimate)

3. Find their people

• Employee Insights on LinkedIn

• Follow them on Twitter (list)

Congrats! You’re assembling a network. Now, you need to activate it.

CONTEXT

Identify opportunities to engage and on what terms.

1. Understand how people use each platform and their expectations for it.

2. Start listening to parse tone and personality.

3. Look at how other people (your competition) are engaging.

CURRENCY

Remember that thing about self-interest?

MEET MASLOW

CURRENCYDemonstrations of Higher Value

WHAT COUNTS AS CURRENCY?

Almost anything that entertains, informs, enlightens or makes someone’s life easier• Retweets

• Links to interesting articles

• Blog posts + comments

• Introductions

• Participation in webinars/Twitter chats/meetups/conference

• Emails

• Podcasts

• Portfolio

• App

• Live event

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

FIND YOUR BEST-FIT AUDIENCE

BE BRIEF

GET PERSONAL

FOLLOW THE LOGIC OF DATING

YOU ARE THE PRODUCT

RECAP

To Connect:

• Curate your network

• Identify the best Context

• Flash your Currency

IF YOU STILL HAVE ROOM IN YOUR BRAIN

• It’s never too early to start getting networked.

• It really is about who you know, but social media makes it easy to know people. Lots of people.

• You are Drake. You can start from the bottom and use ideas and opinions to climb up.

• Familiarity and likeability trump expertise. People help people they like.

• It’s not about marketing. Forget branding. Remember courtesy and curiosity.

QUESTIONS?