Want a job? Write a blog.

David Meerman Scott is an entertaining speaker and author on the topic of the new rules of PR and marketing.  His books and his presentations make the clear case that the old way of marketing products and services just doesn't work anymore and that organizations of all kinds need to embrace social media marketing. 

In one of his latest blog entries, he discusses why college students need to market themselves just like any other product or service via social media.  I've suggested this approach often to students and alumni at Bentley University and I think career services departments at colleges and universities need to be more proactive in helping students get their social media marketing campaigns started right from day one.

Check out David's blog entry here.

That's what I'm talking about

Seth Godin's got a great blog entry that describes some of the frustration I often feel when discussing career planning with high school and college students. Even in this day and age of free-flowing information and limitless possibility, too many young people try to stick to some linear path that was either dictated to them by parents or peer pressure.

Seth makes the case that you need to experiment and try new experiences in order to figure out what your career/life should look like.

Check out Seth's blog here.
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Do What You Like to Get Where You Want

John Melo is the CEO of Amyris Biotechnologies.  His company is working to lower the cost of curing malaria and producing lower carbon, second generation bio-fuels.  John's story is a perfect example of following your interests and not some pre-packaged plan for career success and happiness.  He spoke at the Stanford University's Ventures Program.  Enjoy the video...

Manage your career like a product

I attended Pragmatic Marketing, Inc.’s Practical Product Management  seminar this past Monday and Tuesday.  Pragmatic Marketing has a great “framework” for helping companies increase the effectiveness of their Marketing  resources – especially the role of the Product Manager.  During the seminar, it occurred to me that people could apply the Pragmatic Marketing framework to their own careers.  Basically, everyone should assess their skills and interests, find places where those skills and interests can be put to use by employers, and then develop a plan to get “out there” and land a new job.

You can use the Pragmatic Marketing framework to help you manage your career – even if you are not a product manager or marketing manager.  Just start in the upper left corner of the framework and follow these steps:

1)  “Distinctive Competence” – What are your natural skills and talents?  What is your unique mix of experience, interests, personality and motivations?  What sets you apart from your “competition” in the job market?

2)  “Win/Lost Analysis” – Look back at all the jobs you’ve had.  Which ones did you love and which did you hate?  Why?  What were your favorite tasks on each job?  What caused you to leave a job and what were you looking for in the new job?

3)  “Market Problems” – What do employers need?  Do some research on the hiring front and find out what sort of needs hiring companies have.

That’s a pretty good start in figuring out what is possible.  Your next step would be to move into the Strategic category and define your targeted jobs and industries.  More on that in a future blog post.