Fighting the Youth Unemployment Crisis

     Today is an extension of the final entry in the five-part series discussing the youth unemployment crisis that has gripped the developed world. I refer to the developed world specifically because my research hasn't involved any statistics or articles reflecting the job levels in developing nations. This is an area that interests me and may be something that I look at in another post. I have also avoided talking about gender or minority differences when discussing the youth unemployment crisis, as this would likely require additional posts as well, something that may also come at a later date.

     The final entry will focus on three different topics, all related to improving the odds of finding a job or starting your career. The advice given here is applicable to any age group and will be pulled from a variety of websites and sources, all of which will be linked throughout the post for your reference. I'll begin by explaining the concept behind personal branding and discuss some strategies to ensure that you're making the most of your online presence. Next, I will discuss the importance of using social networking sites to aid in your job search. I'll conclude by offering a series of links which will provide career searching advice and interview tips applicable to any field.

     Personal branding is the process by which we market ourselves to others. It isn't a new concept but it's never been as important as it is today. Because of the amount of information that's readily available online it's important to ensure that your virtual presence isn't damaging your odds of appealing to potential employers. A survey by CareerBuilder.com found that 1 in 4 hiring managers used search engines to screen candidates. One in 10 also checked candidates' profiles on social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter. For the purpose of this post I'll be using the term "personal branding" in conjunction with the phrase "online identity management" because in today's online culture they are extremely interconnected. According to Wikipedia there are three goals of online identity management:

1. Maximize the appearances of positive online references about a specific person, targeting not only to users that actively search for that person on any Search Engine, but also to those that eventually can reach a person's reference while browsing the web.
2. Build an online identity in case the person's web presence is minimal or nonexistence.
3. Solve online reputation problems. In this case, the process can also be named online reputation management.

     Dan Schawbel, a writer for Mashable.com, expresses the importance of personal branding, "Social media tools have leveled the playing ground and have enabled us to reach incredible heights." During the article Schawbel explains the proper method of creating and managing a personal brand by stating that the process begins with discovering your brand. "The single biggest mistake that people make is that they either brand themselves just for the sake of doing it or that they fail to invest time in learning about what's in their best interests," says Schawbel. Being successful means being paid for what you're passionate about. In order to accomplish this goal you need to discover your passion. Doing this correctly means that a fair amount of time is required for thinking and researching. Don't rush it.

     The Mashable article also explains that brand discovery is about figuring out what you want to do for the rest of your life, setting goals, writing down a mission, vision and personal brand statement (what you do and who you serve), as well as creating a development plan. The way that others describe you (intelligent, funny) is a part of your brand as well. Schawbel states that to know if you've discovered your brand you need to make the following equation equal:

Your self-impression = How people perceive you

     This equation needs to be followed by the discovery of a niche, whereby you can be the master of your domain; one where there aren't many competitors. It's also important to secure your domain name; even if you aren't ready to use it. The next step is to build your brand. There are a number of websites dedicated to offering information about building your personal brand. Schawbel addresses the process differently by focusing on traditional documents such as resumes, cover letters, and portfolios (both a hard copy and an online version). He also talks about creating a blog because it rates high in search engines, a step which should only be undertaken if you have the time to do it correctly.

     Another important step is creating social media profiles. Social profiles are great for connecting with others and are also a good way to get yourself noticed. By using Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn you can also interact with organizations or people in your field of interest. These connections provide you with information in the form of videos, blog posts, and relevant news articles. Twitter is another great way to stay up to date with trends and developments in your field. For more information on establishing your brand visit business2community.com. Another resource is personalbrandingblog.com. This website offers a variety of tips and tools to help you begin the process of branding yourself.

     Social media is a resource that's often underutilized by job seekers but because of the current job market it's important to change how a person searches for work. Another story on Mashable.com lists seven secrets to getting a job using social media. The article address the importance of researching the organization you're interested in by finding current employees and contacting them through LinkedIn or email. This is a step that needs to be approached with commonsense and diplomacy. Facebook, for example, is a terrible way to contact people you don't know because of it's association with friends and not business.

     Twitter is another important tool to use but you need to ensure that you have a complete profile with a professional photo in place. LinkedIn is the most important resource because it is the proven number one way to promote yourself to the business community. To do this successfully be sure to completely fill out your profile and receive a recommendation from a co-worker or colleague. Also be sure to connect with as many people as possible because this grows your network and potential contacts. LinkedIn also has a number of groups and associations you can join to become better acquainted with other professionals in your industry. This also makes you more recognizable to hiring managers.

     In order to conserve space and ensure that this post doesn't drag on, I will now provide a series of links about resume and cover letter writing advice, interview tips, creating an online portfolio, and the top-rated job search engines. These websites are a great starting point, but it's important to conduct further research if any of these tips aren't working for you. YouTube also has a large library of videos dedicated to helping people improve their job-hunting stills and resume.
   
     The youth unemployment crisis has impacted the way that young people search for jobs. They can no longer email a resume and hope for the best. Developing a personal brand and creating social profiles are key steps to showing employers the skills you have to offer. The advice and links provided in this post contain the information you need to fight the youth unemployment crisis.

     This series has delved deep into the crisis so that you're able to understand the situation more completely. I believe that knowledge is key to creating change and I sincerely hope that the facts I've provided are able to bring that change for you or your loved ones. As always, it's important to do your own research if you're looking for a deeper understanding than what I've provided. The stories and studies I've linked to throughout the series are a great starting point for independent research. Also if you missed any of the previous parts of this series click below to be redirected:

Part One - Youth Unemployment Creating a 'Lost Generation'
Part Two - Youth Unemployment Crisis Ramifications
Part Three - Youth Unemployment Crisis and Germany
Part Four - Youth Unemployment Crisis and Neets
Part Five - Youth Unemployment Crisis and the Labour Market