The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines marketing as “the act or process of selling or purchasing in a market; the process or technique of promoting, selling, and distributing a product or service.”
Job seekers are the product or service the company is buying. Understanding marketing techniques will help job seekers selling themselves to a company. They are convincing them to buy their product over their competitors.
Let’s take soup, for example. There are many soups available and companies market and sell their soup as being the best. Some soups are more expensive than others because of how they process it or simply because of the name on the label. As a consumer, how does one choose a soup? Is it based on price, taste, calories, sodium, flavor, noodle shapes? Every customer is different and will buy the soup that appeals to them and possibly buys based on commercials and sales techniques used by the company.
So what does soup have to do with a job search? Job seekers are the soup and the company they are applying to is the buyer. Does the consumer experience high-blood pressure that they would need a low- sodium soup? Does the consumer like chicken soup, cream of mushroom, or alphabet soup? If a job seeker walks into a company trying to sell chicken soup to a vegetarian, what are the chances of making a sale? Zero!
Research the company and see what their needs are. Then, position yourself as the best product. Do not just sell skills; because the 10 other job seekers applying for the job may have the same skills. Sell your achievements and accomplishments from previous positions. Find ways to stand out from your competition. The more a job seeker knows about marketing the better their chances are to win the job.
Job Searching Strategies 