STAY COMM

As the unemployment rate continues to rise (note: it's a lagging indicator and the perceived increase must be taken with a grain of salt), marketers are finding that their knowledge is best applied to making themselves stand out against the growing competition amongst creative professionals looking for work.  The tech-savvy have a significant advantage; Internet gurus who have been practicing interactive marketing know to use social media to position themselves as conversation starters and thought-leaders.  But even the likes of Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn have become too mainstream to act as significant differentiators since they are practically a minimum requirement for a decent marketing effort.

Today, shrewd media and communication professionals are going beyond the basics to pull ahead by using sites designed to maximize their marketability to clients.  Some of these are full-featured online portals, like oDesk.com, while others, such as Google Profiles are just a place to post a dynamic profile viewable to anyone with Internet access.  Even valuable certifications, including those in Copywriting, eMarketing, and Search Engine Optimization (just to name a few) are available online.  You may be the most skilled marketer out there, but failing to showcase your experience and know-how is a direct reflection of your ability (or lack thereof) to successfully apply those skills in marketing effort.  It takes work and even some investment to build an outstanding presence, but the return is well worth the effort.

Increase Your Value With Professional Certifications
Supplement your degree with certifications that point to your strongest talents.  Hiring a creative professional is always risky for a client who isn't familiar with the world of communication, media, and content since the skills are intangible and difficult to qualify.  Passing a test and having a professional organization to back your claim at expertise weighs heavily to an employer who is less equipped to judge your skill level.  If you're a master of the written word, a Professional Writing Certificate will go the extra mile in your favor when a potential client is choosing between you and someone with less to show for their claims.  You can also get an eMarketing Certification for under $400, a Google Ads Certification and many others that can be found with a simple search.  They look great on a resume!

Be a Leader and Share Content
Assuming you already have a Facebook and Twitter account (if not, get one ASAP!), start posting links to relevant news, and commentary around your field of interest.  When you share and spread content, you become a point person for questions and conversations on the topics you frequently post about and that makes you valuable and marketable.  As you read and share, you gain important industry-specific knowledge and become the epicenter of a conversation amongst a community of like-minded professionals and service-seekers.  If you're feeling particularly bold, start a blog and share your own thoughts to gain credibility and visibility.  For more tips on how writing can help your career, read the past article "Write Your Way to Work".

Join Freelance Marketplaces and Gain Visibility
Now that you've gotten certified and mastered the art of social media marketing, it's time to post your profile to a freelance marketplace where you can stand out and get the work you deserve.  Guru.com and ELance.com are two great sites that allow professionals to make themselves visible to organizations with project-based needs particularly in technology, marketing, and business.  Freelancers can create hearty profiles that go well beyond the confines of a traditional resume and bid on projects posted by employers.  A similar site, oDesk.com, also allows for posting and bidding, but has many more features including allowing freelancers to take online tests that demonstrate their expertise and even virtually manage other individuals and teams.  A very simple but useful too is Google Profiles, which acts as your own personal Internet

Network, Participate, and Collaborate in Communities
Make a lasting mark on your community by networking both online and in-person.  Attend marketing-themed lectures, conferences, and networking events to meet people in the field.  For live events, check out MediaBistro.com, which lists events in cities all over the U.S.  You can also find smaller, local gatherings on sites like Meetup.com and participate in discussions, collaboration, and microblogging on Blellow.com, a place for freelancers and professionals to collaborate, find work, and solve problems.  The more you participate and work with professionals who share or complement your skills, the more likely it will be that you'll hear about and be considered for opportunities more often than those who don't.

Communication professionals must always remember that before being able to secure clients, they must market themselves.  Your clients want strong brands; they want a marketer who is familiar with the latest tools and strategies to making a products stand out against competition.  When you have some free time between gigs (and I know some of you have lots of it), take on yourself as your most important client.  Your talent and services are commodities in this economy, and making yourself stand out will show potential clients that you have what it takes to make their organizations stand out as well.

SITE HIGHLIGHT
HireMyMom.com - Helping Moms Find Work At Home
HireMyMom.com is dedicated to helping stay-at-home moms market themselves and find clients.  It's one of the few sites of its kind that requires a membership to join ($29.95 for the quarter or $99 per year), but they also provide value that other sites like those featured above can't deliver.  HireMyMom.com is essentially a recruiting service that matches up talented women with with quality opportunities.  Companies that request to post jobs are screened against the Better Business Bureau and those with low scores are not accepted.  The site also asserts that "[HireMyMom.com] will not knowingly allow anyone to join, post or respond to jobs that we find to be less than honest, ethical or that operates without the highest level of morals."  The testimonials on the site speak volumes, especially in today's lackluster employment, with many "mom" professionals crediting the site for finding them gigs within days of joining.  While HireMyMom.com encourages working mothers specifically to join, they do not restrict anyone from joining.