How My Intern Got The Job And Created A Blueprint For All To Follow

People are typically looking for a blueprint when searching for advice.  And not just for job search advice, but for anything. People want to view a model that they can follow and make their own.

Just tossing in our snazzy Bad Rhino logo

I recently (this week) hired an intern for my new Social Media Company, Bad Rhino.  Our hired intern, Jamie, has consistently impressed me since day 1, which was back in March of this year.  Maybe it wasn’t by complete design, but the series of events that Jamie followed and carried out has created a Job Search Blueprint for others to follow.

This strategy won’t always work for each job search situation, but I do believe there is a strong chance you can put your best brain forward to make it happen.  Here is Jamie’s Blueprint:

1. He used social media to get on my radar

In March, I spoke at my undergraduate Alma Mater, Cabrini College, about the job search.  In the months before my presentation, I tried to connect with current students, but I didn’t have time to send many targeted messages.  However, one of the students, Jamie, continued to show interest and engage with me, mostly through Twitter.  His excitement completely put him on my radar.  Here’s one of the Tweets from Jamie:

I didn't disqualify him for the major typo of the school's name!

How To Use This In Your Own Search
Engage with a company or person you find interesting.  Send tweets, LinkedIn requests, comment on their blogs, join Facebook pages/groups and engage/comment, and just be heard.  Maybe not right away, but they’ll eventually have you on their radar.

2. He introduced himself before I began speaking

As I was setting up for my presentation, Jamie walked right up to me and introduced himself.  That sounds so easy, but it’s not that simple for everyone.  I think our conversation went like this:

Jamie: Hey Rich!?
Me: Hey, how’s it going?
Jamie: Good!  Just wanted to introduce myself, my name is Jamie.  We’ve bee talking a bit through Social Media.
Rich: Yes, I remember!  What’s up?  Thanks for coming out!

As you can see, the conversation wasn’t very long, but it helped solidify the connection that was started online.

How To Use This In Your Own Search
When you know the company or person you’re interested in will be at an event, make sure you introduce yourself.  Maybe it’s a networking event, or conference, or a job fair.  Find out who from the company will be there, and then go ahead and introduce yourself.

3. He remained in touch

Even after the event, Jamie would RT my stuff, or “like” something on Facebook that I’d post.  This all led to me looking further into his skill set and interests, which were social media related.  I couldn’t reach out to him yet, but I knew I’d eventually need an intern.  Then finally in august, I reached out and sent Jamie the link to our job posting.

The job came to him.

How To Use This In Your Own Search
Maybe this is obvious, but continue to reach out, ask questions, and engage.  It’s OK to even throw in a, “Is your company hiring?” message every now and then.  Your continued interest in them or the company will be valuable to you.

4.  Jamie was himself during interviews

For the phone screen, I was first impressed that he suggested I call a land line, just an overall smart move.  I could tell that Jamie wasn’t going to kiss my ass, or try too hard to say what I wanted to hear.  When I asked about his passions, he didn’t jump to say anything related to social media.  I liked that.  His answer was food, television, and movies.  His skills and obvious passion in social media were already noted, so I liked that he was able to give me some personality.

On the in person interview, Jamie displayed a ton of confidence when speaking to Marty (the other Co-Founder) and I.  Again, he wasn’t afraid to show his personality and opinion, and even said that he, “enjoys pissing people off when blogging.”  Again…I like that.

We were pretty much sold on hiring Jamie, and we didn’t even care that he was 10 minutes late to the interview.  I probably won’t let him forget that…ever.

How To Use This In Your Own Search
Be yourself and show some personality and confidence in your interviews.  Feel free to bring up some other true passions, just make sure that you’ve already expressed your passion in the skill or line of work that you’re interviewing for.  Oh, and if you’re a true fit, being late or using words like “pissing” probably won’t ruin your chances.

5. Jamie had the skills and knowledge that we needed

In the end, Jamie’s knowledge and skill in social media made us feel very confident that he could perform the job.  Could he have got the job if he just performed steps 4 and 5 like most people experience?  Probably, but he would have had to find the job online (a hard task), apply, and then hope we open the resume and feel he matches what we’re looking for.

How To Use This In Your Own Search
This part is on the job seeker to show they have the required experience and knowledge that matches the requirements of the company.  This part is obviously the hardest, and if you don’t have a connection, it’s much more difficult.  Check out my Job Seeker Services if you’d like focused help.

COTJ’s Final Words

Your job search stars won’t always align like they did for Jamie.  Don’t let it frustrate you.  Continue to engage and build connections.  Someone will eventually see you, and then hopefully you’re on their long term radar.

Just try not to be late like Jamie.