Update: I did it. I found a job using Facebook. Ads were the key to my job-hunting success, and I explain below and in future posts how you can find a job using Facebook, just like I did.
Writing this post may very well hurt my chances of finding the perfect job. I’m willing to take that risk because, being somewhat of an optimist, I’m inclined to think that by sharing my story here I’m ultimately helping myself and many others in similar situations. If what I’ve done becomes a bit less novel because others start similar campaigns, so be it. Here it goes…
My ad!
First, I didn’t invent the idea of using a Facebook ad to market myself to employers, and I don’t know who did. But on January 16, 2010, the social media stars aligned for me and I caught this post mentioned on Twitter. I read it, bookmarked it, and it didn’t cross my mind again until a month later, when I started to get serious about finding a job in the new media space that actually paid. I was freelancing for my friend Chris Johnson at the time, but it wasn’t quite what I was looking for.
I knew enough from my last few job searches that the normal means of finding work wouldn’t cut it, especially if one wants to work on the bleeding edge of new media, as I do. I’ve got a blog (you’re on it). I’ve got a loyal and supportive Twitter following. I’ve got the references. So do 10,000 other Austinites, most of them just as hungry for the same (perhaps imagined) dream job.
Having handled several Facebook ad campaigns for the clients and companies I’ve worked for, I knew that it was a great way to get serious traffic at an entirely reasonable cost-per-click. I pulled up the post about Grant Turck’s ad and went to work.
Online ads are only as effective as the landing pages they link to, so I tackled this first. With brevity in mind, I created one that was ad-specific, included compelling quotes about my expertise, a catchy first sentence, and a “Top 5 Reasons to hire me” list followed by my resume.
Next, I put my ad together. I emulated Grant’s ad, since it worked for him so well, but added my own touches. The most unique and appealing thing about me in relation to new media is my nomination for the 2010 Texas Social Media Award (drop by and leave a comment, if you like). Naturally, I lead with it. Everything else was straightforward. Tell people what you’re looking for (“a job in new media”) and include a call to action that gets them to click (“Can you help?). Throw in a nice picture of yourself, and you’ve got your ad.
Click to leave a comment on my nomination!
As important as the copy in the ad is, the targeting—which elevates Facebook above other avenues of online self-promotion—is even more crucial. So who did I want my smiling face in front of? People of influence, upper management and executive types. Basically, those having the power to hire people easily and create positions for them if none exist yet. Keep in mind the fact that Facebook does not currently allow for targeting based on position or industry, unless someone has included their position or industry in their profiles “Interests” section. Enough of them do, trust me. This is a glimpse at how I broke it down:
People…
photo credit: luc legay
- who live in the United States
- who live within 25 miles of Austin, TX
- between the ages of 25 and 55 inclusive
- who like advertising, advertising manager, branding, ceo, community building, corporate recruiter, director marketing, director sales marketing, founder ceo, human resources, marketing coordinator, marketing director, marketing executive, vice president marketing…(many more)
- who graduated from college
I also threw in the name of a company I really want to work for, Bazaarvoice (more on that later). After putting my targeting list together, Facebook came up with a suggested bid of around 60 cents per click, so I set it to exactly that. Turns out, I’ve paid an average of 43 cents a click, so the whole experience has been much more affordable than I anticipated. I’ve spent $85.65 since 2/08, but I would have spent triple this or more for the results I’ve encountered.
So here they are, so far:
I’ve received an average of one email or relevant comment on my blog per day. Some of them are well-wishers; some of them offer constructive criticism—for both types of input I have no problem paying 43 cents per instance, but for brevity’s sake, I’ll only include leads and meeting requests here.
- The first legitimate job lead I received was actually from someone at Bazaarvoice, but it was for an incredible position at the interactive branch of a well-known sporting goods company. He liked my creative approach, and this new contact graciously introduced me to the hiring manager for the position. I held a phone interview earlier this week, which went well, but I haven’t yet heard back.
- The second lead I received was from another employee of Bazaarvoice, who encouraged me by way of blog comment to apply to the open Social Media Manager position at her company. By that time, I had actually already applied and had been screened out! I let her know that I appreciated the lead and asked her to keep me in mind should anything similar open up.
- The next day, I got a promising comment from a small business owner in the digital space. He wanted to discuss sending clients my way, I assume for consulting. I’ve since followed up, but haven’t heard back. Of course, I’ve put another follow-up on my calendar.
- My fourth inbound contact has turned into a consulting client already. He is the CEO of a local SEO company with a national presence, and he reached out because of the unique tack of my self promotion. I’ll be helping his firm find additional clients using new media hubs like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
- Another direct e-mail, and I practically do a double take when I see who it’s from. Absent his permission, I’ll just say it’s from a well-known, local CEO in new media with a high-profile client base. He’s traveling at the moment, but wants to get coffee when he gets back. We’ve got it scheduled, and I’m excited and honored to meet him.
- As if to prove how effective company-by-company targeting is with Facebook, a recruiter from Bazaarvoice sends me a message to set up a time to talk about the position I had already applied for. She saw my ad, read a bit of my blog and thought she’d reach out. It looks like they’ve since found a fit for that position, but it felt good to be considered nonetheless.
- I’ve signed an NDA already with the next person to reach out, but it’s a very promising direction. Very cool potential gig.
That’s it, for now! Now tell me, would you have spent $80 for the interactions above? I’m incredibly happy with my ROI thus far.
But I’m not going to stop looking; I’ve made that mistake before.
No matter how successful this ad becomes, I invite all contacts, no matter what they have to say. I’m not a job-hunting innovator; I just stumbled onto Grant Turck’s amazing idea and decided to borrow it and apply a few tweaks. I might be the first one to do it in Austin (not even sure if that’s true), but my hope here is that others read this and get hip to this winning technique.
If you’re an employer looking for sharp talent, please take a look at my qualifications, and feel free to contact me at 512-751-3978 or igreenleigh@gmail.com .
If you’re a job seeker, and would like to chat about my methods, I’d love to hear from you as well.
Good luck!
Not too long ago, I was looking for a job. The central emphasis of all my work-seeking efforts was on standing out. This much I knew: Now more than ever, you’ve got to positively differentiate yourself from the competition. You’ve got to market yourself.
Visiting LA recently, I started thinking about this again. The cruel paradox of LA is that it’s simultaneously the place where being noticed matters most and the hardest place in the world to be noticed. In this impossibly-crowded market, nearly everyone you meet is trying to “make it” in some form or fashion. Whether they know it or not, they’re trying to market themselves to influencers. This is especially true of aspiring actors. As evidenced by whichever bad movie you saw recently, being a bad actor does not–sadly– preclude one from getting serious screen time.
Enter an actor friend of mine, Logan Fahey.
I’ve known Logan since the second grade, and I’m not the only one that thinks he’s great. Daryl Miller of the LA Times called a recent performance of his “letter perfect” (and it was). It absolutely kills me that Logan isn’t using new media to capitalize on his recent successes, and I told him as much. He, if anyone, should be a standout. Within five minutes of meeting the other night, we had mapped out his next steps in order to make it so. I’m confident the plan will work, even in a place like LA where everybody is trying to get in front of anybody who’s somebody (say that five times fast).
Most of what we discussed applies to new media, personal branding and conversation marketing quite generally. To illustrate their applications, I’ll include some specifics regarding how Logan might take these steps, but just add a little imagination to construct your own game plan. It’s never too late to start marketing yourself.
- Claim a central online outpost; a place that aggregates all the new media presences you’d like to put in front of influencers. Once you’ve put up some decent content, slap this URL on everything you send or give out. In Logan’s case, he should print www.LoganFahey.com right on his headshots.
- Flaunt it tastefully. As Brian Clark writes, brilliantly, “What other people say about you is more important than what you say about yourself.” Collect and publish your praise. Don’t be shy about it. Smart people make choices that are informed by testimonials above all else. These are the people you want to get in front of, so give them what they want–or someone else will.
- Play to your strengths. Put up a blog and write about what you know. Come across as both informed and interesting! Most settle for one or the other. Go for both. Comment on the posts of those who influence you, but also start conversations with other beginning bloggers, as they are more likely to reciprocate, link to you, etc. Logan is easily the funniest guy I’ve ever known. I see him posting biting observations on the travails of the aspiring actor and the excesses and of LA culture. If his observations are as sharp and witty as I expect they will be, he’ll be able to create a substantial following.
- Pages, not profiles. Logan the friend has a Facebook profile. Logan the actor should have a Facebook page. Pages offer far more functionality, customization and marketing flexibility. They allow you to construct and maintain a rich new media presence on one of the globe’s top websites–free. Using touches of FBML and following basic web design principles, pages can be a one-stop showcase of a brand’s value. Logan’s page will use video, photos, press clippings and carefully-written verbiage to create a mixed media demonstration of his talent and commitment to excellent presentation.
There’s more that Logan can do, but the above will keep him busy for a while. Rather than spreading ourselves too thin, it’s much more effective to carefully select a few new media tools, create deep content experiences and update them often. Every time someone comes across one of your online outposts, make sure they’re encountering the person you want them to see, and not a bit of you here and a bit of you there, scattered across a trail of half-finished profiles.
As much as I’m excited to show a dear friend the new media ropes, doing so has forced me to consider my own reflection. Staring back at me, I see an incomplete picture of myself. I have a lot left to do and even more to learn. Yet, I like what I see. With a little work, it’s only going to get better.
Sorry to get your hopes up. This is not a screed against Klout. I’m not angry at if for ranking me too low, or listing a mortal enemy as one of my influencers (fortunately, neither is the case). Just the opposite, I find that Klout has managed to pull off something remarkable. The list of so-called “twitter-graders” is lousy with failure and lack of imagination. The volume of data created by the actions of the average twitter user is enough to fill a long, boring book. The minds at Klout took these data, decided which should serve as metrics, weighed the various streams and came up with first influence-measuring tool that stands up to the “five friends” test. Pick five of those you most closely follow on Twitter, plug them into Klout, and see whether, for the most part, you agree with what’s served up about each. You probably will. That’s huge.
Klout’s new feature, a way to find, track, and list influencers, is similarly impressive. As can be expected this early after its arrival, it can be hit or miss. The way it locates online leaders by vertical or subject, however, is a powerful step in the right direction. Brian Solis has an accessible exploration of the mechanics behind this “Twitter list engine” over at PR 2.0.
But here’s the thing: Klout and other tools like it do not track the offline influence of online personalities. This has a lot to do with a question as old as science: Correlation or Causation?
Are these people and brands influential because of their new media efforts, or did they already carry influence as they created a new media presence? What about the individual or brand that is highly influential, but has barely begun to leverage their reputation by building a social online presence?
This third type should interest conversation marketers just as much as (if not more than) the other two. Budding efforts are simply easier to engage with. Some will argue that it’s better to target those with large networks and, therefore, extensive reach. But it’s a trade off. Yes, these new media participants have the power to perpetuate your message through their extensive networks. Yet, your voice will be just one of so many vying for their attention.
Offline influencers with a limited new media presence are more likely to see and hear you. As one of the few that find and engage them, your message will be all the more resonant if you approach them in the right way. They are also more likely to reciprocate and to appreciate any help you send their way.
Smart new media marketers get in front of both groups.
Klout and other influence-measuring tools can’t measure offline influence in any meaningful way, and we shouldn’t expect them to. But should we want them to? A complete picture of one’s influence is multidimensional. Such evaluation should require user input and a discussion about concepts that are unapproachable mathematically. To me, this is refreshing. There is still a need for a human touch in evaluating the influence of other humans.
The advent of the new media era has changed the way smart people think about marketing. Most new media are purposefully designed to facilitate conversations,allowing participants to share and rebroadcast the words of others with whom they agree (or disagree). In this powerful, democratic way, our mores and ideas about things like merit and authority are being patched together and paved over, layer upon layer. Until recently, this picture was anarchic, and made new media seem unapproachable to those of us that crave structure.
New media has reached critical mass. From this patchwork of layers has emerged a fascinating value system—coherent, but in a constant state of flux. It’s stillmalleable and lawless enough to allow trailblazing, innovation and, of course, exploitation, but finally developed enough for newcomers to learn the ropes before they attempt to do their own thing.
People and businesses of all stripes have realized the marketing opportunities these new media present. But too many of them figure they can simply refocus their current marketing efforts to address these new channels without much thought or development. This approach has failed, and will continue to fail.
New media marketing is about participating in the conversations that will go on with or without us. It’s about understanding what those involved in these exchanges value, what they expect from them, who they listen to, and why.
If we want to successfully market anything to this audience —our products, résumés, candidates, ideas— we need to respect and understand it. This is an audience that values genuine interaction. Its members have little tolerance for the stilted jargon many confuse for professionalism. They want to know what we really think. They expect us to listen, to respond.
New media marketing is thoroughly, refreshingly human. Be 3D.
Dimension 1: Authority
No one is an expert on everything. Chances are, however, that you know quite a bit about your industry or niche. Share it. Brand yourself as an authority by adding value to the conversation. Share your professional insights and build a following of those that wish to learn from you. At the same time, be sure to communicate with peers and leaders alike. Learn when to speak up (when you know what you’re talking about), and when to listen and ask the right questions (when you don’t). Don’t be afraid to show fallibility—asking a great question can demonstrate authority just as well as providing an answer.
New media is not a sales presentation, contrary to popular belief. Trust me, the obviously self-promotional blog comments, posts, and tweets are not getting those guys anywhere. Want to get people to take an interest in whatever it is you’re trying to promote? Answer a question they have about something else. Join a twitter chat and say interesting things. Give someone helpful feedback on their blog posts or intelligently challenge something they write with words of your own. Do it enough and people will look at you and your widgets.
Dimension 2: Personality
This one seems so intuitive; it’s amazing how many get it so painfully wrong. Would you invite a telemarketer or robot into a conversation between humans? Neither would those you’re trying to market to. Show some skin. Be funny, interesting, even self-critical—be authentically human.
Make friends, not sales leads. Part of cultivating a three-dimensional new media presence is recognizing the humanity in others. The friends you make will promote you; rarely will they promote whatever you’re selling. Don’t take advantage of them and ask them to hawk your wares or confuse an endorsement of you with an endorsement of your products. Engage people on the right level and they will be interested in what you do. People love to buy things from those they like. There is no need to push it.
Dimension 3: Consistency
Don’t dabble. Being inconsistent dilutes the perception of authority, and shows others that you don’t value new media. If your last blog post was five months ago, and you’re not turning out good content at regular intervals, delete the blog. The same goes for the twitter account that you use once every 2 weeks. The chance someone will see your biweekly tweets, however profound, is slim to none. To make your new media efforts worth your while, you’ll need to persist in creating and sharing value. Be a frequent contributor to the online conversation, and eventually you’ll be known as such.
Keep your ear to the ground. It’s not just about monitoring what people say about your brand and your competitors. Recognize opportunities to be among the first to comment on industry developments, innovations and other changes that will be talked about. Use amazing free tools like RSS feeds and readers, Google alerts,TweetDeck streams, and start conversations where none exist yet. Be proactive.
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