How To Market Yourself In A Digital Employment Landscape

We all understand the importance of landing the right job, but the rules have changed dramatically over the last decade. With the rise of digital HR platforms and AI, job seekers are at a disadvantage if they don’t utilize digital tactics in their search. Standing out when thousands of resumes can be submitted for the most coveted roles in just seconds is a monumental task.

“There are roughly 6 million unemployed people today,” says Ty Peck, Co-founder and CEO of Business Draft, a digital hiring platform serving candidates and employers. “The average resume gets looked at for less than five seconds. So how can seekers stand out nowadays?” Peck explains that optimizing every facet of the job hunt is key. Here’s how to make your talents shine through the digital noise.

Take Control Of Your Digital Footprint

When starting a job search, Google yourself. Does the first page accurately convey your capabilities? Look for any red or green flags. If you’re hard to find, consider developing thought leadership content in your field. While building thought leadership is a never-ending process, claiming critical profiles and crafting a few timely posts on LinkedIn can help to show employers you’re engaged.

While you’re at it, be sure to audit social media to ensure it projects professionalism and aligns with target employers’ values.

Finally, take the time to flesh out profiles on job sites. “Many candidates don’t take full advantage of the digital real estate on job sites,” Peck notes. “Spending time on this can set you apart since others overlook it.”

According to Peck, video is an underused option on sites. By posting engaging footage, you can demonstrate critical knowledge while also conveying interpersonal skills key for workplace culture fit.

Leverage Algorithms

In screening today, digital tools will often automatically vet candidates. Algorithms that surface strong resumes are designed to democratize and streamline the hiring process, but they can add a layer of complexity to your job search. It’s worth noting that algorithms which attempt to overcome workplace bias may actually reinforce bias in the hiring process. Familiarizing yourself with algorithmic bias can also help you to overcome it.

Understand how these systems select resumes to progress further. Use SEO strategies to emphasize industry keywords from role descriptions. This helps match your background to posted requisites. Even overqualified applicants can get filtered out for lack of keyword optimization.

Solve Employers’ Hiring Pain Points

The hiring process can be cumbersome for human resources professionals that have to wade through an influx of resumes. By putting yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager, you can help to streamline your own vetting process. Tools like Business Draft allow you to schedule your own interviews, for example, taking the back-and-forth off the HR professional’s plate and making the entire process more efficient.

Don’t be afraid to follow-up with hiring managers once you’ve submitted a resume, and again after a reasonable period of time. While some candidates might be afraid to make this move for fear of coming across aggressive, it may be that the hiring manager simply hasn’t had a chance to make the connection.

Learn From Rejection

“We give candidates recordings of their interviews for review and improvement,” Peck says. Watching your interviews on video can be a meaningful way to hone in on areas that need consideration. Did you get stuck on a question? Give it some thought and practice an alternative response.

Review your body language and that of your interviewer. Were you comfortable and confident? Were there moments where your interviewer seemed to lose engagement? These are all cues that will help you fine-tune your message.

Stay confident despite the digital maze. Continuously augment your online presence through content creation and platform enhancement. Optimize every aspect of your online presence, emphasize keywords, use video and other creative formats to showcase your skills, and align yourself to solve hiring managers’ pain points.

Perhaps most importantly, don’t get discouraged. The digital world moves fast, but you can continuously improve and learn from each experience. As you become more strategic in presenting and marketing yourself, you’ll be ready to land the right opportunities. With authenticity, persistence and strategic marketing, you can stand out.