You have a professional portfolio. You know what the next step in your career is, and you have identified the skills and attributes you posses to succeed in that new role. Ok… let’s get the word out. Let’s brand and market your portfolio.

Understand that you are a product, and you are taking your skills and experience to a given market. Personal branding is essential because it helps define who you are, and what sets you apart from others. It’s your reputation with supporting results. Look at the profile statement at the top of your CV (see How To Write a Great CV post) and consider that statement your professional brand. Don’t just let your actions speak for themselves, be pro-active and build a name for yourself by marketing your brand and letting others know what value you bring to a position. You have likely already established a consistent look or design layout for your portfolio materials – CV, bio, cover letters and even business cards. Perhaps you have even researched appropriate networking opportunities – professional associations and public service opportunities - related to your chosen career path. Don’t stop there. Consider harnessing the power of online social networks to market your skills and experience.

Social networks have revolutionized the way we communicate, and millions of people use them regularly. They are a more sophisticated networking tool than e-mail listserves. Do your homework and find social networks that are relevant to your needs because each networking site targets a slightly different set of users.

LinkedIn.com and Ryze.com focus on work-related networking to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. You can connect with past and present colleagues, and seek advice from industry specific experts. If you already participate in social networks like Facebook, MySpace, Friendster, or Tribe, you can use them to the same effect. Consider updating your profile to match your professional brand and portfolio. Ask yourself, “What can an employer find out about me on my profile and online posts”? Make sure your online profile stays active and is consistant with your professional brand because colleagues and employers may google to find information about you.

Viral marketing uses online social networks to get the word out. Viral marketing happens when one person tells a friend a message online, and they tell two friends online, and they tell two friends online, and so on, and so on…(remember the old shampoo commercial?). The results are often rapid and can be staggering in numbers. Rememeber dancing Matt, whose popular Youtube videos enticed a gum company to sponsor two fully paid trips around the world? (wherethehellismatt.com) This is an example of very successful career minded viral marketing.

You don’t have to make goofy videos to get the word out about your skills and attributes, but you can ask your social network what you can do for them. Find out how you can help pass on their message - and then do it. Once you pro-actively participate in their network, they will likely start being part of yours.

Anything you do to cultivate your career brand and market your portfolio will result in a more successful job search.

A professional biography is the “wow” factor in your portfolio. When you have a bio you have a professional story to tell, and you will use it for a variety of networking and marketing purposes. A professional bio is not a CV or resume, it’s an overview of your background, experience and expertise.

A bio should be professionally written. A benefit to having someone else construct this for you is that it may help you see yourself in a new light.

Bios are written in third person, and should be branded with the same layout and look as the other materials in your job search portfolio. Keep your bio to one page and let your personality come through. You may choose to include a photo in your bio. If you have been attending industry events, and networking well at those events, a photo will help people remember you better when your bio crosses their desk. It’s good personal branding.

Bios should open with your current title and a description of the principal services, or skills you offer. Follow this with the special experiences, niches, or other factors that make you stand out in your area of expertise. Make sure to include an account of your work history, along with your professional memberships, associations, and public service experiences. If your bio is a compelling account of the story of your career to date, and positively reflects your personality, it will secure the readers interest.

A professional bio is an often-overlooked marketing tool and should be revised, or kept up-to-date annually. You may use your bio for a range of purposes: as a part of your job search portfolio; for your website; summarizing your expertise for speaking introductions; or attaching to articles you have written. It can make the difference in how others perceive you, which may result in securing a great job.

With any job posting a company will likely get hundreds of applicants of which maybe 25 end up in the yes pile, while possibly 8-10 have all the required hard skills to secure an interview. After that, it’s about finding the candidate with the right “fit”. This is where soft skills can become a big part of your job search.

Soft skills usually come from experience, are transferable from many aspects of our lives, and we continue to refine them throughout our career.

Career Management Soft Skills…

These are the hallmark soft skills, which may include: communication, initiative, flexibility, teamwork, leadership, problem solving, time management and enthusiasm. You have probably been asked behavioral questions in an interview that address some or all of these skills, “Tell me about an experience when you had to work under pressure to meet a tight deadline?” The most important part of the answer to that question is not in the details of your experience, but in how you managed the situation. Which of the above-mentioned soft skills did you draw upon to effectively deal with your experience? You might be asked to speculate on how you would handle future work place problems. For example, “What would you do if in the middle of a project you had to change direction or focus?” We use our soft skills to demonstrate our employability when answering those questions. These skills overlap, and as a result developing one helps us learn more about others. For instance, if there is a communication problem in your work environment and you find a way to both address it and make the situation better you will build you problem solving, team work, initiative and leadership skills.

Life Soft Skills…

These highly individual skills are reflected in our personality: stress management, self-esteem, resilience, etiquette, critical thinking, empathy, and cooperation. Every time we plan or organize something, make good use of our personal resources, set personal goals, volunteer in the community, or nurture and care for each other, we employ our life soft skills and develop our personality. To build a solid working team involves attracting candidates with complimentary life soft skills. Have you ever participated in an office colour-personality workshop? Whether you believe in the theory or not, the goal is to harness a team’s life soft skills to help understand each other and work together more effectively.

Corporate Soft Skills…

At an executive level these soft skills are a part of the language as much as the landscape. For example: strategic awareness, information management, political sensitivity, public relations, leading change, team building, and understanding funding streams. Even if you are not working at the executive level, familiarity with these skills will put you in a good position to work with upper management towards a common goal.

The soft skills you bring to work or a job interview help you stand out, and increase your employability at every stage of your career.

Watch for our next post: Why you need a BIO!

One way to take control of your job search is to collect meaningful information to support your pursuit. The more you know about the role you want, the better you will be able to find a job opportunity and make a strong case for your candidacy.

The Research…

Think about joining professional associations that fit in with the culture of the job you want, and look for networking opportunities. (See “Networking” post) After an industry event, go through your collected business cards and set up an information interview with one or two of your new contacts. If you are clear about the information you are looking for, most industry professionals will agree to answer your questions over coffee or a phone call, or they will re-direct you to someone who can better address your request. Another way to collect valuable information is to job shadow someone. Spending an afternoon or a day in the work environment you want to be a part of will give you the opportunity to soak up macro knowledge that may help give you confidence and experience to support your candidacy. Try to read postings of similar jobs and catalogue the required skills for that position. Upon review you may identify a skill you need to upgrade.

Another approach can be found through volunteering. Public service shows your humanity, your commitment to the industry, and provides additional opportunities to gain meaningful knowledge in your area of interest. Participate professionally in your industry through volunteer opportunities at festivals, conferences, and associated social responsibility events. Always keep up to date by watching market trends. There have been dramatic recent changes in media ownership that are changing the way content gets made and distributed. Read industry trades (Playback, CAB website, Broadcast Dialogue, cartt.ca, natpe.org, nab.org, etc.), track the companies that interest you, and create a database of those companies for future use. In your database, list the company, its full coordinates, and the names and titles of its decision makers. Include your networking contacts, the results of your information interviews, and notes from your job shadowing experience. Make sure to maintain your database with trend and mandate updates collected from reading the trades.

Collecting and tracking this industry information prepares you for success by helping you anticipate where and when job opportunities will come up, and by building the authenticity of your position as a candidate. Staying connected with your industry ensures you will bring something new to the table for each interaction whether that’s a networking opportunity that may lead to a job, or if you have taken the next step and are sitting in a job interview.

Does someone you work with drive you crazy? Do you feel like giving them a piece of your mind? Think about it first! Your ability to manage conflict can make or break your career.

We work in a creative medium with big personalities. Add the fact that there are many different ways to accomplish the same task, or different ways to interpret the same project, and it leaves a great deal of room for misunderstanding and conflict. How you manage that conflict may follow you from contract to contract throughout your career.

Avoid these common mistakes…

Don’t take things too personally. You know the saying, “Its only business”! In many cases constructive feedback can be misinterpreted as personal criticism. If someone’s critique of your work is less than complimentary, try to extract what you can do to improve the quality of your work, or better tailor it to the needs of your deliverable.

If you feel that a co-worker or manager has not treated you fairly, for whatever reason, you may want to make that person accountable for your troubles. Seriously sit back and look at the big picture. What will you personally achieve by drawing attention to this, and what happens if the co-worker or manager does not see the situation the same way you do? Instead, try to think of different ways to approach this person in the future to get the fair working relationship you want.

Don’t give negative labels to co-workers like useless, or stupid. Those names tend to stick around for a long time! People are more complex and in most cases deserve the benefit of the doubt. Bad-mouthing former managers or co-workers in a professional environment reveals that you are not a team player.

If you feel compelled to address an issue, before confronting your co-worker about a problem ask yourself, “Does the issue that drives you crazy affect your ability to do your job?” If it doesn’t affect your work why not let it go? If the issue does affect you work try to deal with it before it escalates to a blow up.

How to confront someone without putting them on the defensive…

Avoid attacking or criticizing. Once you acknowledge there is a job related problem with a co-worker, stay focused on how to improve the work situation instead of identifying a list of each others faults. It keeps the conversation on the path to results instead of escalating hurt feelings. Try as best as you can to stay calm and respectful, and listen to your co-workers concerns about the problem too. Not every conflict has a happy ending, and keeping a cool head keeps your foot out of your mouth and everyone’s dignity in tact.

What can you learn from conflict…

Most people we find challenging to work with have more insight about us than we care to admit. Sometimes we accelerate the situation more than we think, so remember that you can learn from them about your mistakes, blind spots, or hot buttons.

No matter what happened in that last meeting, or what someone may or may not have said about you the other day, everyone comes to work because they have something to offer. Try to start fresh every day. Your ability to manage conflict will ensure you leave a project or contract with the door open to successfully come back again some day.

You are in control of your career. You can choose to “go with the flow” and react by making decisions about things as they happen, or you can be strategic and thoughtful about the next step on your career path. If you have completed the Goal Statement exercise you are now in a position to create a career road map to reach your professional goals.

Choices…

There are many routes to success in the Canadian media market. If you ask ten people who currently hold a position you aspire to how they got their job, you will likely hear ten very different career path stories. Some went the formal education route, or secured a powerful mentor, or volunteered/interned, or sought industry professional development through accredited organizations, or networked well at industry festivals… If you do your homework you will have a choice of avenues to take on your career path. Consider the outcome of each. Relate those choices to your personal values and priorities. Know your own time-financial-physical limitations and compare. Once you have carefully decided on a path to your professional goal, take it one step at a time.

Self-Assessment…

Determine the knowledge, skills, and experience you may need to acquire in order to achieve your goals. Consider this an investment in yourself! Check the landscape. How well do you know the professional environment or sector you want to be a part of? Who are the major players and competitors? It’s your area of interest, so be a sponge for the information necessary to stay on course with your chosen career path.

Check your social capital, or, how well do you do with real time data mining and reciprocity? Analyze and absorb the landscape you want to be a part of with trusted and respected colleagues and mentors, and reciprocate appropriately for their efforts.

Attaining your short and long term career goals may call for a longer investment of time than anticipated. The return may not be instant, and sometimes the results are not exactly as planned. Check your resources. Do you have the time, motivation, and emotional resilience to take on what may be required to achieve your goal? Make sure to choose a career path that fit’s your priorities.

Without a proactive approach to the steps required to attain your professional goals, you likely won’t know where you’re going, and you’ll never be certain when you’ve achieved them. It’s your career. Don’t give up!

Our next post… Workplace Conflict Resolution

The very best CV’s (also known as resumes) are concise, honest, and most importantly represent a candidate’s uniqueness.

The Open…

Always start with your name and full coordinates, not with “Resume” or “Curriculum Vitae” written at the top. Most job searching happens on line, and a computer program sorting your CV will think your name is Curriculum Vitae!

John Doe
555 Your street, Yourtown, Canada A5A 5A5 H: 416.xxx.xxxx C: 416.xxx.xxxx
Email address: firstname.lastname@reliableinternetserviceprovider.com

Make sure that one of the telephone numbers listed in your coordinates will reach you during business hours, and try to secure a formal email account. Save gothguuuuurl@isp.com, or john957@isp.com for your friends.

The Introduction…

One way to personalize your CV, and help your strengths and uniqueness jump out at the reader, is to add a meaningful profile statement after your name and coordinates. Be specific. Avoid the mistake of generalization. For example: “My objective is to gain a secure job with a company that values my skills and knowledge” puts you in the same position as everyone else looking for a job. Consider carefully crafting a profile that states three things in three short sentences: who you are, what you’ve done, and what you want. Media professionals are in the business of content creation and here is the opportunity to tell your own story. For example:

Jane is a media professional with 5 years experience in post-production.
Supported by a diploma in television broadcasting, as well as numerous seminars
on emerging industry software and technology, Jane is seeking a role with a
progressive post-production house to build on her successes in series production

- or -

John brings a 20-year media portfolio: from line producing, and business
administration, to regulatory policy and business strategy. Supported by years of
management training, public service and professional development,
John’s intention is to contribute meaningfully to Canadian cultural
industries by increasing human capital efficiencies through recruitment,
development and retention of creative talent.

Support your profile statement with a list of your notable skills showcasing your knowledge and competencies. Include creative, technical, management and transferable skills as appropriate.

The History…

State your professional experience, and make sure to include the specific accomplishments in your employment history and the results of your hard work. Was the project you worked on positively received? Did you make any workflow or system improvements while on the job? Did you mentor others? Take the opportunity to highlight the personal impact you had on each project.

Follow with your Education, Professional Development and Languages as appropriate.

End with Public Service and Affiliations.

Tips…

When sending you CV electronically consider personalizing the file name. Make it easy for the administration of your application by avoiding file names like “resume2008.pdf”. Try “John_Doe_CV.pdf” instead.

When applying for a job electronically make sure to re-purpose the language from the posting in your CV. If a posting asks for proficiency in Final Cut Pro, and you only state you have editing experience, you may get automatically filed into the maybe pile.

Don’t wait until you need a job to update your CV. Consider reviewing it annually, and if you get an industry award or recognition, or if you complete professional development, update your CV right away. Don’t assume you will remember when you need it.

Stay tuned for our next blog on Career Activism!

You know the saying… “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”.

We learn the importance of first impressions early on in life. They can turn in to long-term perceptions and reputations, and where your career is concerned they have tremendous lasting power and can set the stage for the tone of your working relationships.

At a job interview, on the first day with a new company, or at industry events, within second’s first impressions are made based on appearance, language, demeanor and mannerisms. Making a good first impression requires a bit of common sense and a bit of planning. In doing so you will ensure your authentic self comes across and you will build honest, productive, and lasting professional relationships.

Be on time, be prepared, and represent yourself appropriately…

Uncomfortable, unprepared and running behind are three strikes against building a positive working relationship. Being on time and harnessing a “collected appearance” will help create a positive first impression. Whatever you wear, make sure you are comfortable. You are your own person and you should celebrate your originality in your appearance, but be smart about it. Express your individuality appropriately and within the context of the meeting, event, or organization.

If you have prepared appropriately… for example; if attending an event you have researched the program planners and key participants, or, if you are going for a job interview you have researched the company and have prepared the business case for your candidacy… you will present with confidence which makes a great first impression. Keep in mind your attitude permeates your mannerisms so try to harness a positive one. It often helps stave off nervous jitters too.

Make an effort to remember everyone’s name. No one expects you to get names perfectly the first time, however, if you have trouble remembering names consider searching out a memory technique that works for you. If you truly don’t remember someone’s name then ask, with apologies. If you are at a networking event and are collecting (and giving out) business cards, it sometimes helps to jot down on the back of cards received what you have in common with those individuals.

A word on manners….

In any situation there is never a good reason to present bad manners. Turn your cell phone off and don’t hide behind your blackberry. Every new acquaintance deserves 100% of your attention. If you have to divert your attention politely excuse yourself and follow up later. If you are interrupted facilitate the process by making introductions. Don’t gossip. Try to stay focused on how you can help others and not how others can help you, or even what they may be thinking about you. Be generous if someone you meet goes too far. Helping others “save face” in a difficult situation proves you are a professional. Remember a smile warms up any conversation, puts others at ease, and invites them in to the discussion.

Email/Voice Mail first impressions…

If you are emailing someone for the first time compose a more formal email and make it short. Start with an introduction or third party referral. Follow with a short paragraph stating the objective of the correspondence and address next steps if necessary. Make sure you have your full coordinates listed in your signature block in order to best facilitate the process. If your signature block ends with an inspirational quote, consider dropping it for your first email. You do not know the recipients tastes or personal beliefs, and keeping it neutral and focused on the business at hand ensures your intent will not be misinterpreted.

Start the same way when leaving voice mail for the first time. Compose a more formal message starting with a clear introduction stating your name and referral if any. Follow with the objective for your call, suggest next steps, and close with your full name and coordinates.

With email and voice mail introductions, be persistent and respectful. If you are trying to get a hold of someone they will do their best to get back to you when they can.

In every first encounter try focusing on how you can be generous to others. If you bring something positive to a new working relationship others will want to connect with you. They will remember what you have to offer which creates a lasting positive first impression.

We invite you to share your comments and stay tuned… up next, how to write a great CV!

All portfolio materials are organic, like the person they represent. Your career experiences are unique and they change and grow each year. It’s a good idea to review and update your portfolio to reflect those personal changes and mirror new methodologies in industry recruitment. Your professional portfolio should include a CV (and bio as applicable), a reference sheet (your top 3 professional references and 2 peer or personal), an appropriate cover letter, and relevant work samples. Market yourself by branding all your portfolio items with the same look including font, layout design and colour, and choose branding elements that match your personality and experience. Make sure your portfolio items are drafted in digital formats as most industry recruitment happens on line now!

Curriculum Vitae… the “Course of Life”

Make sure your CV accurately represents who you are, and what you have accomplished. When applying for a job that fits your experience and qualifications, odds are you will posses a similar skill set as others in the “yes” pile. Make certain your uniqueness jumps out at the reader.

One way to personalize your CV is to start with a profile statement. Your profile should be 2-3 sentences long stating who you are, what you’ve done, and most importantly what you want or what your professional objectives are. It’s the first thing potential employers will read on your CV. Make it easy for them to know what experiences and expertise you bring to the table and what you are looking for.

Follow your profile statement with a list of your notable skills showcasing supporting areas of knowledge and competencies. Include management, technical, creative, and transferable skills as appropriate.

Another way to personalize your CV is to ensure when you state the specific accomplishments in your employment history you also include the results of your hard work. How was your project received? Did you manage to improve work flow or organization as a result of your efforts? Did you mentor others? It highlights the personal impact you had on each project.

As most CV’s circulate electronically now, consider including hotlinks to web pages to support your employment history. To further facilitate electronic submissions save your CV as a pdf file to guarantee your format will read the way you want it to on all operating systems.

If appropriate, you may consider drafting a one page personal Bio to include in your portfolio. Get professional help with the copy and remember to brand your bio using the same font and layout design as your CV.

Cover Letters… the “Business Case” for your Candidacy

Tell potential employers why you are the right person for the job and back it up with the experiences identified on your CV - or - make the business case for your candidacy. If submitting by email treat your cover letter as a regular letter and err on the side of formality.

Paragraph 1 should identify why you are writing i.e., I am writing regarding the above position, and am indebted to XX for their referral.

Paragraph 2 should address the hard skills they need. These skills are usually listed in the job posting in order of importance. Start from the top and work your way down matching the experience you have to fit them.

Paragraph 3 should include your additional skills and talents or, as Mediaintelligence likes to call them, your “value add(s)”. For example, your supporting knowledge bases, languages, industry knowledge or contacts that give you competitive advantage.

Conclude with your expression of interest and ensure accountability for follow up.

Relevant Work Samples… the “Proof”

Showcase a collection of tangible proof for prospective employers of your past and recent work, volunteer and community achievements, and educational and personal accomplishments. Select items that will demonstrate that you have the requisite competencies, organizational and marketing abilities. Arrange pieces to reflect and support the needs of potential employers. Always consider the electronic medium and ensure your work samples are accessible digitally as pdf files or via your own web source.

It can be challenging to critically analyze your own materials. When you have packaged your portfolio, have someone you know and trust review it and give you feedback. You want to know how well they feel your portfolio reflects who you are, and the skills and experiences you bring to each new employment opportunity.

We invite you to share with us your portfolio success stories!

Every day we have the opportunity to nurture and manage our business relations. We do it easily at the office, over lunch, and in line at our favourite coffee shop. It’s called networking and it’s a key part of managing your career. Industry events are excellent networking opportunities. Don’t be shy! Meet, greet, build your knowledge, your contacts, support your job search and help others.

Whatever career level you are at – entry, mid career or executive – if you research well you should know who the major players, competitors, and regulatory/policy players are in your industry. Investigate conferences, associations, alumnai groups and organizations providing skills, training and mentoring relative to your chosen industry. They are all potential employers seeking to capitalize on your knowledge and skill set.

The Plan

Never attend a networking event without a plan. A little digging can save you a lot of time and trouble. Look at organizations that offer networking opportunities and ask yourself, “What is their mandate, and what are their concrete successes?” If their mandate and successes meaningfully relate to your goals and ambitions you know you will both benefit from participating and expand your network at the same time. You may choose to attend because you want to learn about something, you want to meet a certain person who is going to be there (a presenter or panelist), or you want to meet like-minded people to share career experiences. Whatever your reason, knowing and identifying it is a part of the planning process. Make sure it’s the right fit for you. Know which organizations and events best build your knowledge, contacts, and your career success.

The Event

No matter what stage of your career, you are attending as an industry professional and you have permission to belong. Arrive on time and start meeting people. If you are feeling uncomfortable, others you meet will feel the same and you may not make the impression you want. One way to feel comfortable is to take on the host position… even if you are not hosting. Don’t shy away from introducing individuals to each other, get refreshments and make people feel at ease. Another way to feel comfortable is to project a positive attitude even if you are nervous. Keep on smiling!

Tempting as it may be, don’t spend all your time with your friends. Go out and meet people. Tell them who you are, keep your comments short, and let them know why you are there; “I’m attending because I admire the guest speakers and look forward to their comments on_____.” If you have made a plan for attending you will have all kinds of things to talk about while you gather information and contacts. Keep your conversations to about five minutes, manage the process and host your way onwards.

Remember, keep it short… meet and greet… then go back to your friends. Ask for business cards and, if you are able, write a note on the back on how and why you are connected to those people. It is appropriate to ask for referrals, however don’t aggressively ask about jobs or insider information. Be authentic, use good manners, and gather information.

The Follow Up

Within a day or two sort your business cards and organize the information for future reference. If you had a particularly meaningful connection with someone, consider following up with a short email.

With a little extra thought and preparation you will hone your networking skills, make those first impressions noteworthy and memorable, and build success in your career.