Growth Hacking Job Tips from #ThatTechGirl Liberty Madison
As, #ThatTechGirl, I have been to enough startup events, conferences, meetups, hackathons, and dev boot camps, to know one thing- Always present yourself in the most desirable light as possible,in every area of your life.
Funding a startup is 90% presenting an image of confidence and the “I’m moving forward without you,if you want on board hurry up”. That is how you have to approach job search. You are not begging or desperate. You possess a skill THEY need. You are in demand remember that!
This is a quick easy guide to get you thinking in the right direction.
From this point forward we will not call it a job search it is now “client match”.
You need to first decide what type of client you are looking to partner with to enhance your career.
Who will fit your needs and fulfill your talents and skill set?
Remember it is no longer an employers market, it is not even an employee market. It is a collaboration market.
By the year 2020 40% of the workforce will realize they are a startup and work as a separate entity. They will fill outsourcing needs, work as a consultant, or launch a startup. They will perform the same functions for a larger corporations but experience freedom.
Start now, control and run your life as a startup (which you should already be doing). You may not be the founder of you (your parents did that) but you are the CEO of you. So run it as such. Your time is valuable, it is seriously all you have so guard it.
This is your simple #startupLife guide to job searches.
1. STOP looking for a job
Looking for a job is so time consuming and to be honest who really wants another job?
I am confident if you are reading this you are a leader in your field or on your way to being one. The #startuplife is not for those looking for a job. It is for those looking to create opportunity and create their position. Stop spending hours upon hours sending out resumes online. Create a deck of your skill sets and start pitching
2. Work on your online presence not your resume
Many people do not really like to read. Yea I know. Let alone hundreds of resumes. We live in the information Age, it is at our fingertips. If you send me a resume first thing I am going to do is go to your linkedin profile to check you out. So skip all the resume stuff and be sure your linkedin is a narrative of your working history. Tell a story. Show personality.
Do NOT just copy and paste. Seriously there’s a science to linkedin, follow it. In addition to linked in be sure to position yourself as leader on Twitter. Depending on your industry you may want to brand on Pinterest, Tumblr, Facebook, Instagram. etc. Your digital presence IS your resume. You cannot apply to be Social Manager and only have 130 followers. It’s the same line as “Never trust a skinny chef”. It may not be true but it is the way the world thinks. If you are a little hesitant about such a public life, I suggest get over it. If you cannot get over I suggest creating two accounts for each platform. A private (used for you for friends etc) and a public. But you need a public profile.
3. Stop attending networking mixers
Stop attending mixers where everyone there is looking for jobs!
No one is hiring. You will have better luck attending topic specific events and meetups and offer your clearly defined service and or product.
4. Clearly define your skillset
To clearly define does NOT mean to limit yourself, it simply means define it and be able to clearly communicate it. Answer the question as though it is a mission statement not a job function.
What problem can you solve or what can you teach(products/education/knowledge).
Commerce works in two simple ways. What can you do for me and what can I do for you. You need to figure out what you can do to help the other person(company)and that my friend is your “job”
Realize the age of one profession is dead. The year of the “Doctor for Life”, ” Teacher for Life”, and “Accountant for Life” are long gone. There is no gold watch or corner office. There’s only you and your willingness to growth hack your way to a lifestyle where you are satisfied. I personally do not know anyone who ONLY does ONE thing. It could be the Silicon Valley in me but everyone does multiple things, it’s called being a visionary rather than goal oriented. Here in the Valley if you perform one function you are stopping your growth and limiting your options. I am sure other parts of the country may look at it as fickle but that is why they are at a 9-5 job and people in the valley are notorious for innovation and changing industries.
Tim Ferriss is an published author, blogger, growth hacker, radio host, chef, body builder, public speaker, investor, tech and startup enthusiast, and thought leader. Diversity builds wealth and a fulfilled life.
Create different decks and various resumes.
5. Present yourself as a startup or consultant not an out of work job seeker
Follow the previous steps and go forward! You are now a consultant/startup with a defined skill set so go and PITCH to companies who need you to solve their issues.
Want more growth hacking tips? Follow me on Twitter and Instagram
Share your tips! Tweet me at @libertymadison I would love to hear how you landed a new client.
#ThatTechGirl is #LibertyMadison
#StartupLife for the #Millennial and #Transitional
#ThatTechGirl is the Oprah of #SiliconValley
