Skilled Migrant Professionals Magazine reposted this
Brand and Marketing Strategist | Workshop Facilitator, Coach & Speaker on Personal Branding | MD VAKA Consulting
My role as Head of Brand and Marketing was made redundant in December - 2022, the worst possible time to start looking for a job - especially in my field. Who thinks of hiring a senior marketing leader during the holiday season?! My first instinct was to look for another job. I needed to fill in the time, and I thought getting a job as quickly as possible was the solution. That was not the best idea! I received a lot of automated rejections, and networking wasn’t practical either, as people were in holiday mode. This impacted my confidence, and I decided to stop applying and reflect on what I actually wanted for my next steps in my career. If you’re searching for a job and navigating the end-of-year slowdown, my advice is to pause (if you can afford to), reflect, and invest in your personal brand. Take the time to focus on building your brand on LinkedIn and positioning yourself as a thought leader in your field. Target your audience. Share insights and expertise relevant to your next role. Engage meaningfully with the connections that you build. By the time businesses resume in January, you’ll have a strong trail of content highlighting your knowledge, and you’ll have made valuable connections with the people who can help you take the next step. Should you keep applying? Absolutely - but don’t job search mindlessly. Make a plan. Use this time strategically: ✅ Update your LinkedIn profile and resume. ✅ Invest in a career coach; they make a HUGE difference in helping you shape your next step. I was lucky to have Angela Farmeary in my corner ✅ Share thought leadership posts to attract the right opportunities. ✅ Attend events when you can and genuinely build a community. Be strategic and deliberate about how you show up and where. ✅ Connect with recruiters or hiring managers. Share what you’re looking for in your next role - it helps when you can articulate what you want. ✅ Share with your network that you are open for a new role; this will help people actively advocate for you and keep you in mind if anything comes up. Asking for help is an underrated superpower! Please take the time to rest and step away from your computer. Your mind needs a break, and the people around you want to spend time with you. Don’t let a job search consume your entire holiday. #LinkedInNewsAustralia