Perhaps you are looking towards a future career move but are unsure how to start the process, because chances are that your future career opportunities lie in the hands of ‘headhunters‘ aka executive search specialists.
There are in fact many similarities between marketing yourself and that of a company, yet even marketing professionals do not do as they will advise all clients.
Instead of falling into the masses, how do you stand-out and differentiate yourself from ‘normal‘. Even though the initial contact and availability is out of your hands, what can you do to increase your chances of someone recruiting you online?
Here’s 5 ways you can increase your chances of being headhunted online:
1. Have a unique selling point
A crucial part of the recruitment process is aligning value between that person and a prospective employer.
Remember that most headhunters are already seeking someone with specific skills and relevant years of experience, so the question becomes what is your unique selling point (USP) that makes you stand out as a leader in your field?
Adding to your overall experience and conveying your USP to others is one surefire way to increase overall interest in your abilities.
2. Make yourself visible
You can have the greatest set of skills that the business world has ever seen, but people are not going to actively recruit you unless they know about it.
One of the most effective ways to be identified and recognized as a talent in your field is by actively participating in the dialogue of your industry. Make your presence known by speaking at conferences or industry events, have your articles published in trade magazines, or make sure that you have a quote in relevant articles. These are ways to increase your overall visibility.
3. Network consistently
No matter what industry you are involved in, people always talk about networking but how many people actively network consistently? Networking across your industry and amongst your peer group is a great way to increase the odds of being headhunted.
If you know well-connected, talented colleagues, make sure that you make an effort to stay in contact with them. People often only reach out when they ‘need’ something. Do not rely on the ‘sudden networking’ that people do when they want a job, but make sure that you consistently invest in long-term professional relationships.
If you know people who serve as figureheads within your marketplace, be sure to reach out to them. Increase your profile by increasing your network.
4. LinkedIn and social networking
Social networking sites and search engines, especially LinkedIn, have drastically changed the executive search process. Before the headhunters used the ‘black book’ approach and sorted through the different options, wading through countless people just to get the information they need.
Nowadays they can rely on online tools to provide the information for them. Make sure you create a compelling LinkedIn profile that does more than just list your qualifications, make sure that you list your specific keywords that make you stand out from the crowd.
Be sure to Google yourself as well; make sure that your public relations, industry comments, and any potential articles are visible online. You want there to be enough of an online presence to create interest without having overexposure. Start early enough and you may even be able to influence the rankings of what shows up online.
5. Be successful
It sounds like cheating, but one of the best ways to generate interest in your professional ability is by personally contributing to success. The more you are recognized for your achievements, the easier it is to stand out. Referrals are a key way of building networks; a positive reputation in your industry is going to help you stand out.
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You can generate interest in yourself. Even though the old saying “don’t call us, we’ll call you” still holds true for headhunters, there are a number of things that you can do in order to generate more interest.
Follow these steps and you might find yourself fielding calls and emails from prospective employees.
How do you increase your chances of being headhunted online? Share with us below!
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