Here's a good pitch of a different breed. Checking into Facebook a few days ago, I noticed the ad above. Impressed by his approach, I offered Grant a guest post on The Bad Pitch Blog. So here is his post. Then I'll tell you why I'm impressed by the ad.
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Going Guerrilla to Get the Gig
Want to increase your professional network and as a result increase your opportunity to land that coveted interview or job? If you are seeking out that next job in the current job market like so many are, including myself, the answer is probably a resounding “YES!” The secret: Facebook Advertising.
After learning about the power and affordability of this under-utilized tool last December from Jay Conrad Levinson and David Perry’s very helpful book Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0 I decided to give it a try as part of my overall strategy to secure a job in PR and the results have been great!
For the cost of about $50 over the past three weeks approximately 200 people have clicked on the ad and been directed to my online resume.
This has not landed me the ultimate prize of a job, but it has resulted in the following ROI: 50% increase in my professional network of contacts on LinkedIn, an internal recommendation to Porter Novelli’s HR dept. by a managing partner and preferred candidate status in Edelman’s HR database per a senior executive’s recommendation.
What makes Facebook Advertising so effective for a job seeker is that it is allows you to target your ad to the specific audience you want to reach. In my case I was able to target only those Facebook users that work at the top ten PR firms and companies I most want to work for.
Bottom line: I recommend that every job seeker looking to increase their professional network and potentially land that next job sooner rather than later try placing at least one Facebook ad.
By Grant Turck, [@GrantTurck]
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Book fed or not, this strategy is smart for a variety of reasons.
1) The Busy Road Less Traveled: Facebook has 350 million users. And while plenty of people are advertising on the social media network, how many of them are looking for a job? Grant's strategy is getting attention, which leads to momentum in the search which leads to the gig. Beats standing on a street corner wearing a sandwich board.
2) Show Don't Tell: You're already intrigued by Grant's approach if you click through the ad. It shows he is familiar with social networking at a minimum. So Grant is already moving in the right direction before you even see his resume.
3) Paid vs. Earned Media: Buying the ad shows Grant realizes that PR or social media do not operate in a vacuum. Using a mix of disciplines makes him a more valuable candidate. Tip: Don't forget to leverage owned media...your own content...online via LinkedIn, Flickr, YouTube and/or Slideshare. Then link to it like it's hot and pass those links around like joints at Snoop Dogg's house.
One to Grow On
The Bad Pitch Blog will give Grant one tip for his search. Drop us a line after you land your next job. Drop everyone you came into contact during this process a line and let them know where you are at. Why let all of that networking die after you secure the job?
And you will secure your job. The process is a lot like media relations. And in both, you will succeed quickly if you stand out for the right reasons. Grant certainly does.
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Very clever of Grant. He is bound to stand out in this saturated market, and, as you pointed out, he illustrates his knowledge of Social Media and acknowledgement of usefulness of same. I'll be surprised if he's not employed soon. Keep us posted!
ReplyDeleteThis is crazy, I did the same thing! It actually resulted in a job after about 3 weeks -- so pretty successful. Since then I've quit said job and branched out on my own. This is a great job hunting tool, especially in PR.
ReplyDeleteI think this idea, specifically for job searching, sets a unique precedent. If it’s okay to pay to get the social network recognition, the word of mouth, the clicks… then it’s always going to be ‘okay’ to pay for attention. I’d buy a billboard across the street from Nike HQ if it were possible, but at the same time, I’d have to understand that my competition were instead focused on merit and qualification-based pursuits of that same job. I can’t take anything away from Grant – job well executed! But, I think passionate, young PR and advertising minds now have to live in a world where if they want to help their clients’ brands to stand out amongst the crowd, then they’ve got to do the same for themselves.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! This strategy is smart for another reason: Facebook ads are some of the most highly targeted on the web. He may have targeted people in specific cities, who list employment at certain agencies, or fellow Pepperdine alum. I would love to hear how Grant segmented that audience & how his results have been impacted by it.
ReplyDeleteI was very skeptical of this idea, but I'm glad that @Marian can affirm this process. Thanks for the post. All the best to Grant.
ReplyDeleteI think Dan Schwabel would give Grant's out-of-the-box approach an A+ with regards to Personal Branding. I am one of his many new LinkedIn contacts because I saw his ad and wrote a blog post about it. Grant commented on my post and sent me a LinkedIn and Facebook Friend request. He is smart in the sense that he is following up promptly and making connections. You never know who another person knows and this has definitely elevated his brand awareness! It will be interesting to see how his journey ends. Way to go Grant!!
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