I recently posted a short article titled, “Stop applying to jobs and searching job site post things and start #PersonalBranding” in a jobseeker forum via LikedIn and was surprisingly overwhelmed by the amount of positive feedback I received from my fellow peers. In the article I discuss my experience so far, #26weeks currently, in my job search. I, like many other Americans, am a prime example of the millennial generation today LOST in a pool of unemployed or underemployed college graduate.
It took me just over 10 years to officially complete college but I NEVER gave up, I always went back, because I knew from being told as a child that I could be anything I wanted to be at his moms I put my heart and soul, blood sweat and tears and followed through. I gained a husband and three children during those years that I am forever grateful for however I never lost that little voice inside me that do you I had the potential to become so much more, it just wasn’t my time yet. Now I struggle with high interest-rates, a pile of student loan debt, a bachelor’s degree (that’s pretty much equivalent of a high school diploma now) then I worked so hard for; after 10 weeks of nonstop applying to jobs, posting my resume to company site I realized that I couldn’t even get anybody to answer the phone, get an interview, or even take me serious (I have 15+ years in the service industry) let alone offer me a position!!!
Something had to change and that’s when I started #PersonalBranding myself. I’ve had a lot of people ask how I’ve managed to grow my network over 2000 people and actually become sought out by multiple companies at once ACCIDENTLY?? How did I network, what did I actually say and do to arrange all these coffee dates and phone calls with so many professionals in all levels of business, both blue-collar and white, and expand my network so rapidly? I started my LinkedIn account in September but really wasn’t able to put in my full effort until January, so honestly, even I admit to being very surprised at how fast my network expanded exponentially so easily to me… It was then I realized or maybe fully comprehended the fact that social media, and the logistics to working it as a machine comes naturally easy to me, I guess I didn’t really know that it was quite the rare quality and something many people face challenges with daily but I also truly believe anyone can do this, they just don’t have the right tools!! Well, I have simple as that works for me that I’d like to share with you.
I decided I better take a step back from applying for jobs that I don’t really want to do anyway start learning about jobs that I didn’t want to do. My degree is in business management with emphasis on marketing communication and I knew I wanted to be with a company that was fast pace, highly competitive; Money motivated, but also well respected by fellow business professional and would be able to either create or lead me to another job where I can actually have the lifestyle that I created. I found some advertising agencies and I can’t found some marketing firm and I started interviewing, like nonstop, for jobs I didn’t even want! But I looked at it as practice for the future, but more importantly a learning opportunity. People would ask me simple questions like what company do I work for or what kind of job are you looking for and it wasn’t until I actually had to answer the question that I realized I didn’t really know a whole lot about any of the companies in my area let alone what any of the role descriptions would be in for a job like advertising or marketing so the more people I met with the more information or data that I had to use when I made decisions. I also took a sweetie very seriously in regard to the impression that I left on the person and any advice they would give me. I was hoping you someway that these meetings would eventually help me find a job and/or land a career, but all they actually did was teach me about all the jobs I definitely didn’t want to do and all the reasons why I would hate to work there, and I don’t even know if I knew that’s what was happening but in retrospect the most valuable lesson I took from that was I was able to learn more about MYSELF!! You’d be surprised how fast you can narrow down your target skill set and desired industry area once you start crossing off all the positions that you’re qualified for (and probably can do) but do NOT provide an enjoyable environment to be, not only financially successful, but happy, passionate, and creative in. I mean initially that’s everybody’s end goal, right? Do what you love, so you love what you do because we can all be anything we want to be (as was taught all through childhood) as long as we put the time and effort in… So, now I have defined my talents, know my PASSION, and am insanely INSPIRED to follow my dreams….
… & thus: SoPac, Inc. was born! I am in SOCIAL IMPACT BRANDING and when people ask what that means, I tell them exactly what it says. This a solution to a problem people don’t understand they even have and I am currently in process of building my company from the ground up bootstrapping all the way! #SocialBranding #TackleTheWorld