What do YOU bring to the table? What makes YOU stand out? In an extremely competitive job market, you need to go the extra mile to ensure that you attract positive attention.
It has become the practice of recruiters and employers alike, to view a candidate’s on-line profile when they are compiling their final short-list. Use this to your advantage, by creating a visible web presence that that truly showcases your original design and development abilities.
There are several ways to create your own ‘branding’ and draw interest when it comes to your on-line presence.
Develop Your Online Presence
The Basics: Use a Striking Resume Template
First things first. You need to grab the employer’s attention with a resume that distinguishes you from the rest of the crowd.
With over 279 templates to choose from, Hloom is a great place to look for inspiring templates.
The following are template style examples that could work extremely well for the creative industry:
The Portfolio template could be the right pick for a designer or photographer that wants to showcase their visual accomplishments.
The Newspaper template portrays your ability to think outside the box.
The Creative template highlights your originality on a single page.
Use your resume as the basis document to mention applicable links and highlight your online presence.
Create a Digital Portfolio
Be creative in making your portfolio pop, as this will enhance your chances of being considered for that desired position.
Use one of these platforms to create a striking web-portfolio:
Behance
Agencies and individuals use this platform to showcase material in fields such as graphic design, art direction, photography and illustration. Behance also has a tab for creative jobs, which could be just the place to find that dream job.
Coroflot
If there are specific creative projects that you have worked on, that you are particularly proud of and want to share, then look no further. Coroflot is a great place to get noticed by design-driven companies and they also offer a job board for job seekers.
Carbonmade
Get inspired with the latest ‘awesome’ examples of portfolios that were created with Carbonmade. With a variety of themes to choose from, you can easily display your creative abilities with this online portfolio website.
As a creative guru, there is always the option of creating your own website. You have total freedom in deciding on the format, style, content and theme to reflect who you are.
Become a Superstar Blogger and Guest Writer
Share your thoughts, ideas and advice with the global community by writing interesting material. Here are some of the sites that you can consider:
OXP
If you are reading this article, then you have probably already discovered the valuable posts on OXP (onextrapixel), aimed at the creative community. Make use of the opportunity to share your industry know-how with fellow designers and developers as a guest writer.
Tumblr
As a platform focused on visual content, Tumblr is a great place to post your multimedia and creative micro-blogs. One of the perks of this site, is that you can also add your resume to your Tumblr dashboard by making use of a cloud based plugin.
Reddit
Described as the ‘front page of the internet’, Reddit allows you to become a “Redditor” by submitting content on an online bulletin board. Entries fall under categories, called “subreddits”, which also include image sharing sections.
Post on Sites that Showcase Your Creative Skills
Instagram
The chances are, that if you enjoy photography, you already have an Instagram account. If you want to use Instagram as a job seeker: to display your digital skills and unique photos, then you might want to consider creating a second account for this purpose. The average ‘selfies’ or pictures of Mutt at the park, will not elevate your resume.
Also consider using your account to follow and tag the posts of noteworthy people in your industry.
Pinterest
For people working in the creative arena, posting a unique infographic e-resume on Pinterest, could really be to your benefit. Although this might not be the formal resume that you use to apply for positions, it is still a great opportunity to strut your creative stuff and get noticed.
Take into account that artistic and aesthetic profiles will likely get pinned more. This is a factor that head-hunters can base their candidate-search on.
Vine
If you have a knack for creating animations or short videos, then Vine is just the platform where you want to show-off your creative abilities. You might get inspired by following the Editor’s picks.
Make Social Media Work For You
The chances are, that you already have profiles on several social media websites. It might be a good idea to revisit them and look at them from the perspective of a future employer.
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is probably one of the best recruitment tools that you can have in your job-hunting itinerary. These days, most resumes refer to a LinkedIn profile. With their expanding database, it is a top space for networking and attracting the attention of recruiters.
You can strengthen the appearance of your profile by posting on LinkedIn’s publishing platform.
Twitter
Twitter also lends itself to connect with like-minded people in your industry. It is therefore good practice to get into the habit of regularly posting material on your profile. Make sure that what you are putting out there is current and interesting.
Facebook
Don’t be surprised when you attend an interview and you realise that the interviewer had a look at your profile. You might want to consider changing your security settings or removing the photo that shows what a party animal you can be.
Conclusion
Take the time and make the effort to invest in an aesthetic and exciting online presence. This will not only boost the power of your resume, but it will also create an interest and attract attention with employers. Best of luck with that job-hunting!
