| Spend about 30 seconds (or less) perusing the latest | | | | element. |
| job search advice, and you will no doubt come across | | | | Unlike selling cars or the latest pharmaceutical drug, in |
| statements like the following: | | | | this case, the seller must play two roles: (1) as the |
| "A job search is nothing more than a marketing | | | | sales rep. who is selling themselves (2) as the |
| campaign with you being the product." | | | | product. So if job seekers aren't careful, either they |
| "An effective job seeker in today's market | | | | are too good at either being the product or too good |
| understands the power of personal branding." | | | | at being the seller (or just plain too good at making |
| "A job seeker is a sales professional; the more | | | | themselves sound like the latest and greatest new |
| nuanced the pitch, the more effective the result." | | | | brand of toothpaste), but either way, they end up |
| As a career pro who has participated in establishing | | | | trapped in some weird kind of brand awareness |
| this line of thinking, I certainly can nod my head in | | | | campaign that has them exhausted and discouraged |
| agreement with these sentiments. | | | | and often achieving negligible results. And has hiring |
| Yes, the job search process is definitely a sales | | | | managers wondering whether it is a full moon and all |
| process, and yes, you are essentially the "product" | | | | the aliens have landed. |
| that is being sold. So it stands to reason that you are | | | | Why? Because people aren't staplers. They're much |
| positioning that product when you are out there | | | | more complex than that. And their target market is |
| presenting yourself to potential employers. | | | | also made up of people who aren't just looking at |
| So why if I agree with these sentiments, do they | | | | them like objects to fulfill a job function for the |
| make me cringe so much when I hear someone | | | | betterment of the company. Sure, it may start out |
| express them? | | | | that way when they post the position opening, but |
| Maybe it's because I can't stop thinking about cattle | | | | once they get candidates in front of them, they |
| whenever I hear the word "branding" or about human | | | | don't necessarily want to be "sold" to at every turn; |
| trafficking whenever I start thinking of job seekers | | | | they want to believe they can build a relationship |
| as "products" to be auctioned off to the highest | | | | with you, the person. |
| bidder. | | | | In other words, they are real people who want to |
| I know, call me sentimental. Maybe I'm a bleeding | | | | talk to other real people. They're not interested in |
| heart, after all. But although I certainly agree with the | | | | personal brands and products. |
| statements above, in theory, it's the application that | | | | So what is a job seeker to do? "Sell" yourself? Yes. |
| often comes off a little stale to me. | | | | "Position" yourself? Yes. But along the way, don't lose |
| Listen. You can't play the game without a program, | | | | sight of the fact that at the end of all this |
| right? And without a doubt, this job search game is | | | | strategizing, it comes down to a small group of |
| played best when the primary aspects of a | | | | human beings who want another human being to fill a |
| successful sales lifecycle are recognized and, to some | | | | need but often just as importantly blend in with |
| extent, implemented. | | | | them, coexist each day in a very real way. They're |
| Yet to leave it at that and wash your hands of the | | | | not buying a TV, after all. |
| discussion misses a crucial element: the human | | | | |