Over the past couple of months, I’ve interacted with quite a few guest bloggers who pitched ideas for Campus to Career.  You might remember the Guest Blog-A-Palooza that featured five of the top posts received.  As an author, I’m committed to bringing you the very best content to help you land your dream job, get that promotion, learn to lead and maximize the tools available to make it all happen. That’s why I’m happy to announce a brand new blogging partnership with Zach Buckley.  You may remember Zach’s post about Eeyore or his most recent contribution to the blog-a-palooza, 5 Things Every Young Professional Should Know Before Hitting 30.  Zach has agreed to contribute regularly to Campus to Career, adding his insight and expertise to the arsenal of information already available. Please help me welcome him to the Campus to Career family!  Now, for his first post as an official partner, check out the article below.

If You Were on a Shelf at Walmart, Would People Buy You?

By Zach Buckley

The job hunt is all about making yourself seem a more attractive, attention-getting candidate. To do this, you must make yourself stand out. Think of yourself as a product gracing one of the many shelves that fill your area Walmart store. To stand out, you must transform yourself from a bland and easily forgettable item, wrapped in tacky packaging and sitting high atop a shelf, to a shiny, exciting item that those traveling through the store feel uncontrollably compelled to pick up and and place in their carts.

Build Web Presence

Employers are going online to research potential employees with ever-increased frequency. Just as products that are easily searchable online are more likely to be selected than those that consumers can’t research with ease, you’re potentially more likely to acquire employment if your future employer can turn up something positive when snooping around online. Make your web presence a spotless one, first by deleting anything that you wouldn’t want an employer to see, including your pictures from that long ago forgotten spring break trip that still haunt your Facebook profile. Next, build up a positive image for yourself online by creating a well-developed Linkedin profile. Also consider setting up and populating an industry-related blog, adding to your credibility the same way a well-written product description online would make a Walmart special seem the most desirable choice.

Improve Yourself

Products that feature the attention-getting label “New and Improved” seem harder to resist than those that only promise the buyer the same old features and are wrapped in an entirely forgettable package. Improving yourself through the acquisition of education can make you more noticeable to potential employers. Take a class or workshop in an area relevant to your selected industry. To add a credential to your collection, work towards earning a degree online. Not only will this newly acquired knowledge likely leave you better equipped to handle the job should you be hired, the fact that you sought it out at all will also show that you are eager to improve and be the best you can be within your selected industry.

Give Back

Many manufactures build positive public images for their products by giving back to the community. You can do the same, building a positive reputation for your product – yourself – by partaking in community service. Create a strong track record of community give back, making volunteering a regular habit for you. Feature this volunteerism on your resume to ensure that employers know about your philanthropy. Not only will doing so make you stand above the rest of the competition, it will also likely leave you feeling better about yourself, leading you to exude self-confidence.

No one will know how awesome you are if you don’t properly package and advertise yourself. Instead of allowing employers to overlook you, make yourself the most logical choice. Through effective marketing, you can make it clear that you are leaps and bounds above the rest, giving potential employers no choice but to pluck you off the shelf and add you to their collection of workers.

About the author: Zach Buckley is a freelance writer based in the Midwest. He enjoys exploring developing trends in education, technology and culture.  When he isn’t reading or writing blogs, he enjoys sampling good music and good food. Follow him on Twitter! @Zach_buckley