Establishing Yourself as a Known Authority to Get a Job

Establishing Yourself as a Known Authority to Get a Job

When it comes to finding a job, the fewer people you're competing against to get a position, the better. Responding to job ads posted on the major job sites is a highly competitive situation because for most positions, at least a couple hundred people will respond. It's far better for the employer to find you in a less competitive situation. This week's job searching tip discusses establishing yourself as a known authority so potential employers can find you.

WRITING ARTICLES

Writing an article is a great way to raise your profile in your industry and/or profession. Published authors are perceived as experts and more knowledgeable than others in the profession. If you've discovered an interesting way of doing something at work that you think others would like to know about, that could be a great topic for an article. Of course if it's something unique to your company, you need to make sure your employer wouldn't consider it a proprietary trade secret. Another potential topic is discussing what you foresee happening in your industry or profession in the future.

Once you have a topic, your article can simply discuss your experiences with it. Or, you may want to interview other professionals who have experience with the topic to get their input. Being able to quote other people in the article can make it even more interesting.

You also should have at least one trade journal/magazine in mind for your article. If you're not sure what magazines there are for your profession or industry, check with your professional or trade association. You can find a directory of associations on the Association Executives site at www.asaenet.org. You can even e-mail the editor of the magazine you're targeting about the article you're thinking of writing and ask if the topic you have in mind is something they would be interested in.

WRITING A REGULAR COLUMN OR A BOOK

If you write an article and you find the experience enjoyable, you might want to consider writing a regular column for a magazine or even writing a short book. Having a regular column or having had a book published gives you enormous credibility. It also makes it easier for you to get other exposure for yourself. Published authors and columnists have an easier time getting opportunities to speak at conferences, getting interviewed on radio and TV shows, etc.

TEACHING A CLASS

If you have a knack for explaining things, teaching a college class might be for you. Becoming an adjunct professor at a college and teaching a class about your profession also helps to raise your profile. The biggest benefit is the credibility it gives you. As an adjunct professor, you'd be more likely to be given opportunities to speak at conferences, etc.

About the Author

Scott Brown is the author of the Job Search Handbook (http://www.JobSearchHandbook.com). As editor of the HireSites.com weekly newsletter on job searching, Scott has written many articles on the subject. He wrote the Job Search Handbook to provide job seekers with a complete yet easy to use guide to finding a job effectively.