Performance Measurement for WWP

Performance Measurement for WWP Introduction Performance measurement has been described as a key tool in the achievement of TQM (Total Quality Management) in all types of organizations. The traditional approach to performance measurement has been focused on the examination of financial performance of an organization. This has mainly focused on a performance indicator that is available through changes in either profits or losses.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Performance Measurement for WWP specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, researchers who work in this area indicate that cost accounting information does not avail a complete bundle of information to support quality journeys. This is because they do not consider a contingent of issues, such as improvements, seen by the customer. Furthermore, they focus on the examination of a stakeholder from the view of an investor or shareholder. This has presented a number of challenges for non-profit organizations with the main aim to serve a specific segment of the society. Furthermore, performance is best measured through an examination of all perspectives of an organization. Regardless of the industry, organizations have the responsibility to come up with strategies that make it easy for customers to not only know about their goods and services, but also have the desire to provide assistance with them (Armstrong, 2007). This feat is not easy to accomplish because of challenges businesses have to face. There is the issue of stiff competition from other businesses in the same industry, economic problems that hinder the customers’ willingness to buy some products, and the presence of several distractions, which have the potential to come in between the customer and the company’s products. These are just some of the challenges that managers have to deal with in their bid to reach out to the intended audience. Need For Performance Measurement Many organizations in th e todays business world recognize that there is the need to capture a complete picture of organizational performance. This has led to the incorporation of a whole cocktail of performance measurement tools in attempts to capture their organizations’ performances. It is within this perspective that the need to institute effective performance measurement mechanisms has attracted a host of organizations and researchers. General understanding is that through the entrenchment of a culture that takes cognizance of organizational objectives, a cocktail of benefits and efforts focused on better organizational performance can be implemented.Advertising Looking for proposal on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Kaplan and Norton (1992), the focus of these performance measurement initiatives should revolve around finances, internal processes, learning, growth and, of course, customers. In fa ct, empirical research on performance measurement shows that undertaking this process can help management with implementing the process that supports process improvement and development of a cost-effective product design (Turney, 1991), and avail managers with an integrative framework to manage organizational activities. WWP (Wounded Warrior Project) stands at a vantage position to meet the expectations of the stakeholders by examining the performance of the four major organizational perspectives i.e., learning and growth, customers, internal business processes and finances. The learning and growth perspectives â€Å"will be viewed as an attempt at promoting growth and development by creating an enabling atmosphere that supports change and innovation† (Amstrong, 2007). According to Armstrongs opinion (2007), this strategy should be boned in mind of any Chief Executive Officer of the organization in order to ensure an overall efficiency of the business process. This may be imp lemented through the modernization of the services or goods, especially through the employment of modern technology and replacement of obsolete equipments in order to cultivate and enhance better quality of services to clients’ satisfaction. Focus on infrastructure improvement should be paid cognizance to. The development of staff should also be carried out through creation of a learning organization and where organizational learning takes place at the same time as advocated for by Armstrong (2007). This should be carried out through the provision of avenues that promote learning, training, and development. It should be understood that while technology, products, and services can be replicated, knowledge cannot. In the global competition today, attention to the human capital has grown in bounds. To move forward and drive successful business, staff focus, engagement and involvement should be paid cognizance. Subsequent benefits would include better quality of services to achie ve total customer satisfaction, increase business, obtain lesser complaints, and a train a fully engaged workforce that is fully committed to its responsibilities.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Performance Measurement for WWP specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The internal business perspective, on the other hand, addresses issues related to how business processes are adopted to the needs of the customers and shareholders. This should be implemented through the creation of an internal infrastructure that supports high quality of services in time at a cost effective manner with registered benefits in overall businesses performance. Clients focus should ideally center on better service delivery and should reflect the company’s value attached to the customers (Armstrong, 2007). This should be applied through improvement of service delivery and creation of better efficiency in the delivery of services to the cl ients. Essentially, this should be geared towards timely and efficient services delivery to clients in a cost effective manner that ensures for sustained competitiveness. Ideally, the management should embrace strategies that ensure the delivery of high quality service and integrity, development of products that really match with the needs of the clients, ensure value for money spent and devise mechanisms that make it easier to do business with the clients. Finally, the financial perspective addresses how WWP wishes to be viewed by the stakeholders. The management can implement this though several initiatives. The first one would be the establishment of a price control that would allow for significant improvements in investment in the services that ensure better advantage. WWP will create strategy maps highlighting the areas it want to measure. This will act as the overall architectural framework specifying the critical elements and associated linkages for the overall strategy. This , in essence, acts as a universal message presentation forum for the top executives towards specification and subsequent presentation of the envisaged destination, mapping of the route to be followed and communication mechanisms. Stakeholder Analysis and Recommendation for Participation With the mission to honor and empower wounded soldiers, WWP consists of a number of stakeholders whose interests and views must be given cognizance in performance measurement program. These include the wounded soldiers, donors, families of the wounded soldiers, the government, and social welfare organizations. This is because for WWP to achieve its objectives, it must develop links with other industry players and enlist the support of its stakeholders.Advertising Looking for proposal on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ideally, the focus on well defined performance dimensions should require that the development of specific measures to be done, that helps to effectively monitor and progress in the articulated dimensions (Armstrong, 2007). As Kanji (1997) has noted, the dynamics of the operational environments dictates that the changing needs of all the stakeholders be captured in the performance measures. Consequently, it is important for WWP to examine performance from an internal as well as external perspectives, listen to customers, suppliers and other stakeholders, and not fall into the trap of building a self-centered performance measurement system. It is therefore necessary that WWP develop an ideal system that leads to the development, which supports learning and innovation. This should be the essential and final aim of a good performance measurement system that captures the interests and expectations of the stakeholders (Kanji, 1997). The complexity of an organizational management entails t he need for managers to view performance in a holistic manner, where several areas are captured simultaneously (Kanji, 1997). This should be structured around the tenets of several factors that provide performance of a multi and interrelated perspective, and is linked to organizations’ values and strategies. Furthermore, WWP’s performance measurement should be based on critical success factors or performance driver, valid, reliable, and easy to use, one that facilitates comparisons to be made and progress to be monitored, that is linked to the rewards system and encourages the appropriate behaviors and finally, one that highlights the improvement areas or recognizes the opportunities and suggests improvement strategies. As it can be deduced form the above presentations, it appears that the approach to performance management needs to be holistic, inclusive, and systematic. Essentially, a good performance system should present the combined effect of measuring different a spects or dimensions that are interacting or interrelating with each other. SWOC analysis of WWP A SWOC analysis is a major way to examine the position of a business and examine areas of weaknesses and challenges it needs to focus on and areas of strengths and opportunities it needs to explore. A SWOT analysis simply means looking at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges to the business in order to achieve its strategic intents (Hill and Westbrook,1997). WWP has several strengths, a couple of weaknesses, several opportunities, and a small number of challenges. For example, WWP has the capacity to attract highly trained personnel from a large pool of wounded soldiers it seeks to serve. Furthermore, WWP has a well-established knowledge base, makes use of technology in its programs, and has extensive contacts with its clients. However, it is encompassed by a number of weaknesses that hinder to strive towards meeting its objectives. These include possible lack of moti vation and low reputation. This because WWP is still in its formative years and as such, has not developed extensive networks and attain reputation of high status. On the other hand, WWP has a number of opportunities, thus it can ensure that it lives up to the expectations of the stakeholders. These include availability of technological innovations to reach larger donor bases and increasing levels of understanding and empathy shown towards wounded soldiers. A number of challenges that reduce its capacity for competence can also be pointed out. WWP relies on donors for support and as such may suffer from the challenge of adequate resources to undertake its programs. Furthermore, it must be subjected to a number of government regulations that may limit its scope in soliciting funds and operations. Performance Measurement Performance management (PM) refers to the assessment of progress at different organizational levels, toward achieving predetermined goals, as well as communication an d action in response to actual progress (Bourne, 2003). Within this perspective, it is fundamental to recognize that PM is not merely a tool for operational management. On the contrary, it is, at its best, an overall, integrative approach, linking operational activities to strategic outcomes. Organizations in the business world employ some type of strategic planning in the development of objectives or initiatives. It has been advanced that the key to achieving success in the organization’s performance is an accurate and insightful linkage of the organizational visions and daily activities within the organization. Empirical evidence would however paint the picture that is not always easy or attainable (Armstrong, 2007). One of the chief bottlenecks has been cited as the use of poor performance measures (Kaplan and Norton, 2007). Several researchers have buttressed this point and pointed out that the lack of appropriate measurement tools as positively correlated to organization ’s failure to attain envisaged goals (Kaplan, 2007). For example, Armstrong (2007) in his study on organization’s use of performance measures has concluded that a majority of organizations fail to link their firms’ strategies with the performance measures. In the opinion of Kaplan (2007), the failure to encapsulate the strategic intents in performance measures has proved to be a major headache to many managers. This is particularly worrying when an effective measurement system provides the managers with an ample tool that can be employed in the assessment of whether activities occurring within a facility, division or department are in support of the attainment of the firms overall objectives as stipulated in the vision and missions of the firm. Brotherton and Hacker (2006) have pointed out that what is missing out in most management strategies may not be the planning aspect but rather the implementation. In their opinions, the implementation should encapsulate a n effective measurement system in order that the actions and plans are appropriately linked and are in tandem with the envisaged corporate objectives. This should ideally present an accurate presentation of where WWP is now and where it intends to be. A salient limitation has conversely been cited as the failure to link other aspects of organizational activities such as internal business organization, employees’ development, learning and organizational growth and customer relations in performance measures and the sole reliant on financial assessments of organizational performance. As Kaplan (2007) has pointed out, â€Å"over 70% of CEO failures came, not as a result of poor strategy, but the inability to execute.† Indeed, the departure from traditional financial measures as the anchorage on which organizational wellbeing is grounded has been pointed out as the reason for the invention of the Balanced Score Cards (Kaplan, 2007). According to Brotherton and Hacker (2006) , putting the organization vision and linking this to the strategy of organizations is the key ingredient to success in performance measurements, and thus, the strategic planning process should ideally encapsulate the strategic intents of the organization. This, to the authors opinion should be the starting point in effective measurement system. Essentially, the vision of the organization needs to be translated into specific, measurable objectives or initiatives. This is because by quantifying the vision through measurable objectives, an organization is able to determine whether it is on the right track. This will enable WWP to assess the rate of progress towards the attainment of the stipulated objectives. Unfortunately, majority of organizations appears not to pay heed to these sentiments (Armstrong, 2007). Armstrong (2007) has pointed out that performance measurements at their broadest forms that should involve the setting up of performance goals and the subsequent measurements o f the organization’s attainment or lack of such goals against a set criteria (Brotherton Hacker, 2006). Towards this, performance metrics are developed for each level and function within the organization, structured around the frameworks in order to facilitate the attainment of the envisaged goals and objectives. Thus, while the specific steps and verbiages may vary among the performance management methodologies and systems, the general bearing is essentially the same among the multitudes of organizations that claim to measure their performances. Kanji (1997) has observed that accounting figures alone do not provide a clear direction or an emphasis on whether the particular elements under scrutiny will result in good or poor financial results. This is because these financial measures may not pay cognizance to the need for improving customer satisfaction, quality, cycle time, or even employees’ motivation. Indicators of the Achievement for the Projected Outcomes As it has been stated above, performance measurement has been described as a key tool for the achievement of TQM (Total Quality Management). The main indicator for the achievement of the projected outcomes of the performance measurement in WWP will be the attainment of TQM constructs. These include leadership, management, and empowerment. In essence, TQM attainment in WWP as a non-profit organization calls for the inclusion of all stakeholders in decision-making. Total quality management (TQM) has been considered an important theme in business and management studies over the years due to its capability of influencing the desired outcomes of individuals and organizations alike (Kaplan, 2007). Various definitions of TQM have been used in numerous studies and no general definition of TQM exists in today’s literature. So far, the concept of TQM has different meanings to different individuals. Dale (1999) states that TQM refers to the overall participation of organizational members to e ffectively make use of their business processes and generate the products and/or services necessary for accommodating the needs and desires of customers. Meanwhile, Yang (2005) defined TQM as â€Å"a philosophy and a set of guiding principles that represent the foundation of a continuous improving foundation.† TQM can also be described as a continual process that aims at providing excellence by developing and maintaining the proper skills and characteristics among organizational members, so they can generate satisfaction among their customers (Lakhe and Mohanty, 1994). Similarly, Yang (2005) believes that TQM is a set of practices that promotes improvement, frequent evaluation of results, as well as long-term planning. Though there have been different definitions for TQM that have been mentioned above, the concept’s general principles and values are still described in each of them (Yang, 2005). TQM’s philosophy of management is centered on customers that encoura ges members of a TQM organization to efficiently facilitate the improvement of their company through the active involvement of employees. Within WWP, the individual concepts of process control, service quality, and quality improvement are all integrated into the TQM approach. Conclusion and Recommendations Many organizations in the business world today are recognizing that there is a need to adopt performance measurement tools that present a complete picture of organizational performance and are mushrooming towards effective tools in their performance measurements. WWP stands to reap a cocktail of benefits through the initiation, development, and implementation of effective performance measurement mechanisms that have the capacity to enhance its performances levels. As it has been stated above, critical organizational perspectives that should emphasize on this program include finances, internal processes, customers, growth and learning. These may be adjustable providing particular o rganizational contexts in terms of the number and perspectives. WWP is best placed to create strategy maps highlighting the areas they want to measure. This will act as the overall architectural framework specifying the critical elements and associated linkages of the overall strategy. This in essence acts as a universal message presentation forum for the top executives towards specification and subsequent presentation of the envisaged destination, mapping of the route to be followed and the communication mechanisms. The philosophy behind this step is developing a measure that goes beyond just financial performance. The advantages are that the manager can adopt a holistic view of the organizational performance, a cohesive and ongoing assessment is also possible, a focused connection of the top level and mid levels strategies is established, and it improves the organizational performance reporting system. The benefits of adopting performance measurement program outweigh its limitatio ns, chief among them the fact that the process of design and implementation is all-inclusive. While being a top down approach, the strategic intents still have to involve the mid level and floor employees. The key to success are therefore reliant on proper planning, implementation, and follow up and the performance measurement tool must have the capacity to present a more holistic approach to the organizational performances that would essentially encapsulate all the key elements of performance. References Armstrong, A. (2007). A hard book of human resources management. Kogan Page Publishers: London. Bourne, O. (2003). The balanced scorecard: translating strategy into action. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Brotherton, L and Hacker, L. (2006). The golden rules for implementing the balanced business scorecard. ,Information Management Computer Security, 45 (3): 12-25. Hill, T. Westbrook, R. (1997). SWOT Analysis: It’s Time for a Product Recall. Long Range Plannin g, 30 (1): 46–52. Kanji, Y. (1997). Total quality management and the performance measurement barrier. The TQM Magazine, 10 (2): 45-63. Kaplan, R. and Norton, D. (1992).The balance scorecard-measure that drive performance. Harvard business Review: Harvard. Lakhe, R.R. and Mohanty, R.P. (1994). Total quality management concepts, evolution and acceptability in developing economies. International Journal of Quality Reliability Management, 11 (9), 9-33. Turney, K. (1991). Essays on performance measurement models, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Australia. Yang, C.C. (2005). An integrated model of TQM and GE-Six Sigma. International Journal of Six Sigma and Competitive Advantage, 1 (1), 97-105.

Where to Find the Best Marketing Jobs You Actually Want

Where to Find the Best Marketing Jobs You Actually Want If you’re starting a marketing job search, you might go straight to a major career listing website. That isn’t a bad place to begin. In fact, they can be a great starting place for finding opportunities. However, they have some downsides. For one, everyone uses those sites. If you apply for a job on one of them, you’re probably competing against hundreds of other applicants too. So, if you’re serious about advancing your career, you might need to get more creative. Some of the best opportunities out there are never publicly listed, and sometimes, exhausting all available avenues is the fastest way to find what you’re looking for. That means scoping out sites others overlook. It’s also important to get out of the house, and meet real people face-to-face who can help point you in the right direction. This might sound like a lot of work, but when you’re job hunting, finding your next landing spot is your full-time job. Don’t let yourself be outworked before the real work begins. In this post, you’ll learn: Where to find companies looking to fill positions. How to do some real-world networking. Unconventional ways to get an employer’s attention. Plus, you’ll get one free tool to help keep yourself organized †¦ †¦ Download Your Free Marketing Job Hunting Spreadsheet Once you start this process, you’ll have lots of listings and contacts to keep track of. In order to keep everything organized, use this free spreadsheet. It includes fields for tracking everywhere you apply, openings you find most interesting, people you meet, and more. Plus, you’ll get a free marketing resume template. Together, these two resources will save you time, and get you closer to landing the job you want. Where to Find the Best Marketing Jobs You Actually Want by @Ben_via @ Table of Contents: Common Marketing Job Titles The Marketing Hiring Forecast General Job Listing Sites Marketing Job Listing Sites Visiting Your State's Job Services Site Using Google Using Twitter and LinkedIn Visiting Company Sites Directly Leveraging Local Networking Events Consider Starting a Blog Keeping Your Marketing Job Hunt Organized Common Marketing Job Titles You’ll Likely Find If you’ve started a career in the industry, and are looking to make the next step forward, you likely know which type of specific role you’re looking for. But, what if you’re starting fresh, or aren’t sure whether you’re ready to reach for the next rung on the ladder? Sometimes, reviewing marketing openings can be confusing because companies get cute with â€Å"creative† job titles. Who even knows what a â€Å"social media guru† or â€Å"content ninja† really does, anyway? To make things a bit more simple, here are some common roles and titles you might encounter during your job hunt. They’re loosely grouped under a handful of areas: Common Marketing Job Titles: Strategy Marketing Strategist Content Strategist Search Marketing Strategist Social Media Strategist Marketing Consultant Creative Copywriter Content Writer / Creator Designer Social Media Specialist Creative Director Management Communications Director Content Marketing Manager Social Media Manager Account Manager Technical UX Designer SEO Specialist / Manager Marketing Technologist Marketing Automation Specialist Analysis Marketing Analyst Data Scientist Insights Analyst Research Analyst Paid Search/Social Inbound Marketer Paid Social Media Specialist PPC Specialist Project / Account Management Marketing Project Manager Brand Manager Account Manager Product Manager What Does the Marketing Hiring Forecast Look Like? There are open positions for marketers all over the world. But, some markets are hotter than others. So, where is the bulk of hiring happening, what does the future look like, and what skills and roles are most in demand? Starting With General Job Listing Sites This is the most obvious place to start. While it’s true that the jobs you find here will be highly competitive, it never hurts to throw your hat in the ring. And who knows, you just might find exactly what you’re looking for. Best Job Listing Sites: Indeed Monster Glassdoor Google Jobs Career Builder Zip Recruiter LinkedIn Craigslist Idealist CommongoodIndeed This is perhaps the 800lb. gorilla in the job website space. It’s clean, loaded with opportunities, and easy to search. Most major companies will include openings here, and in comparison to similar sites, it might be the best. Find opportunities on Indeed See Other Sites Monster Monster is similar to Indeed, and has been around for years. Likewise, this is a good place to find big-time opportunities with large companies. Find opportunities on Monster See Other Sites Glassdoor The primary advantage Glassdoor has over other sites is it includes direct reviews from present and past employees at every company it lists. It requires registration, but it’s worthwhile to get unvarnished insight into whether a company is a good place to work, or the right fit for you. Find opportunities on Glassdoor See Other Sites Google Jobs This isn't its own service, but rather a means for Google to curate job listings from other sources on the search engine. Google searches for job listings will now populate a featured box at the top of the SERP. See Other Sites Career Builder Similar to Indeed, Monster, and the like. It appears to fallen out of favor somewhat compared to bigger players in the space, but it’s not a bad place to look. Find opportunities on Career Builder See Other Sites Zip Recruiter When it comes to job hunting, according to ZipRecuiter’s home page, â€Å"there’s no need to look anywhere else.† That’s a bold proclamation, but to their credit, the site does take a unique approach to connecting applicants to hiring managers: You upload your resume. Apply to jobs in one click. Then, you can see all kinds of stuff, like how often your application has been reviewed. In short, this sounds like an easy way to put yourself out there, and let hiring managers seek you out. Find opportunities on Zip Recruiter See Other Sites LinkedIn If you aren’t active on LinkedIn, now is the time to start. It’s easy to think of it as the boring professional alternative to Facebook, but that perception is erroneous. Lots of companies share opportunities here, and a lot of current employees at those companies share those listings, as well. This is also a good place to shamelessly promote the fact that you’re looking. Find opportunities on LinkedIn See Other Sites Craigslist No joke: this is where I found my first full-time job in the industry (at a multi-million dollar ecommerce company). While Craiglist sometimes gets overrun with low-quality direct or door-to-door sales jobs that are passed off as â€Å"marketing† positions, you can find some gold here, too. Find opportunities on Craigslist See Other Sites Idealist This is the place to go if you’re looking to make a change in the world. Focused on philanthropic and mission-driven opportunities, you can find marketing and communications jobs with activist organizations, non-profits, charitable organizations, and more here. Find opportunities on Idealist See Other Sites Commongood Another site similar to Idealist, but focused more specifically on non-profits. Find opportunities on Commongood Moving Onto Marketing Industry-Specific Job Listing Sites Table of Contents: The Drum PR Crossing Creative Pool Behance Contena AMA Mashable Talent Zoo The Drum This popular industry blog features a well-curated careers listing page for jobs in the UK. Find opportunities on The Drum See More Sites PR Crossing This is the place to go for curated listings in the public relations industry. Find opportunities on PR Crossing See More Sites Creative Pool Described as a networking tool for creative professionals, it’s focused heavily on jobs in the UK and Europe. It offers more than just job listings too, with an active blog and other career development resources. Find opportunities on Creative Pool See More Sites Behance Behance is most specifically targeted toward designers, but creative copywriters might find opportunities here, too. It’s worth a look if you’re chasing an agency job. Find opportunities on Behance See More Sites Contena A newer entry on the scene, Contena is a paid service that helps connects freelance content creators with remote opportunities. The upfront cost is a little steep, but if you’re serious about living the work-from-home life (which appears to be a focus here), it may be worth checking out. Find opportunities on Contena AMA The American Marketing Association maintains an active job listings section. Find opportunities from the AMA See More Sites Mashable Here’s one that might come as a surprise: Mashable maintains a marketing and PR jobs board. It’s not a lazy tacked-on page, either. It appears to be well-curated and deserving of consideration. Find opportunities on Mashable See More Sites Talent Zoo A great resource for advertising, marketing, and creative jobs. It’s like Indeed or Monster, but focused entirely on marketing opportunities. Find opportunities on Talent Zoo See More Sites Visit Your State’s Department of Employment Website Most states have some sort of employment website. You might not find actual job listings here, but you can find tons of helpful educational resources on job hunting in general, including advice on what to do if you’re laid off (in case that’s the reason why you’re looking for work. Find Department of Labor Resources for Every US State Try Some Simple Google Searches Once you’ve trawled through some job listing sites, try some simple search engine queries. This can help surface positions that might be listed on company’s own sites. All you need to do is search [JOB TITLE/DISCIPLINE] + [CITY/STATE/COUNTRY]. Here’s an example of search from my city (note the listing from Microsoft): Sometimes, this is all it takes to find what you’re looking for. Note, also, that all three of these listings are served up from other sites (CareerBuilder, Glassdoor, and ZipRecruiter). Scope Out Opportunities on Twitter and LinkedIn If you already have a professional following on Twitter, let them know you’re searching for new opportunities (as long as your current employer won’t be concerned to hear this). Or, just put a word out there even if you aren’t primarily using Twitter for work; someone you know, might know someone you want to know. Borrow some of this copy-and-paste tweet template: Hey friends! I’m searching for my next opportunity in [FIELD/DISCIPLINE/MARKETING NICHE]. I have [YEARS OF EXPERIENCE] and I’m ready to make an impact. The same goes (perhaps even more obviously) for LinkedIn. People are on the site to establish their professional reputation and network. So, let people know you’re looking. As previously established, you can also find public job listings here. Reaching Out on LinkedIn If you’ve ever wondered why LinkedIn is useful, my last two jobs were facilitated in part by LinkedIn outreach. If there is someone who works at a company you’d like to be at (or if you’re a hiring manager looking to add a team member), consider sending them a polite message asking if they’d be interested in getting coffee to talk shop. Oftentimes, people will be flattered that you see them as an expert. Plus, this can also show initiative. Now, tread lightly here. Avoid sending connection requests to people you don’t know with no context or message, and don’t come on too strong, either. If someone is local and there’s a chance you run in the same industry circles already, though, it doesn’t hurt to reach out. Do a simple search on LinkedIn: Then, send a simple message: Hi, My name is [NAME], and I’m a [ROLE] at [COMPANY]. I’m interested in learning more about [COMPANY/ROLE], and am curious if you would like to grab coffee at [LOCAL COFFEE SHOP]. The worst that can happen is you don’t get a response. But, if you’re new to the business, sometimes you have to force your way in, and this is an effective way to start building connections while showing you’re serious about the work. Go Directly to Company Websites Is there a company you dream about working for? Then just check out their careers page and see if they’re hiring. No need to make this any more complicated than that. Then, submit your application. While it’s inadvisable to put all your eggs in one basket, there’s nothing wrong with reaching for jobs you might think are too competitive or beyond your grasp. Have some faith in yourself. Visit Local Networking Events So far, this post has covered ways to find jobs without leaving home. Now, it’s time to get down to the brass tacks of doing actual networking in the real world. This can be intimidating, especially if you’re an introverted individual. If that’s the case for you though, just remember a lot of people are nervous going into new places or meeting new people. The payoffs here easily outweigh that discomfort. First, try finding some industry events or organizations in your area. These might include: Meetups:  Many cities have active marketing Meetup.org events. Industry Organizations: The PRSA, American Advertising Federation, and others often host regular events. Local Networking Events: Even general business networking events can put you in touch with companies looking to hire for marketing roles. To find these events: Do a search on Google, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Scope out Meetup.org and do some keyword searches for marketing meetups. Check with your local Chamber of Commerce. If you hate networking  but have to do it, this video from Complex offers some useful advice: Making the Most of Professional Events for Finding New Job Opportunities The key to making events like these work for you is to build genuine relationships with people. You might directly hear about job openings, especially if hosts, guests, or attendees are hiring. It’s also not a bad idea to let people you meet know you’re actively looking for something new. But, avoid hard selling yourself to people you don’t know. Focus on getting to know people and building connections over time. This is more likely to help you find your next opportunity than hounding people or coming off like you’re trying too hard. Consider Starting a Blog Blogging your way into a job can take a lot of effort. However, that’s exactly how ’s Head of Demand Generation, Nathan Ellering, caught the company’s attention. It’s a good way to show what you know, demonstrate your writing ability, and maybe even build an audience for yourself. Before you consider going this route, check the following boxes: Have a focus or an angle. What’s your perspective, or what area of marketing will you focus on? Commit to a basic publishing schedule. Even if it’s just a post every couple weeks, hold yourself accountable to staying consistent. Don’t stress too much about it. If the goal is to get yourself hired, then don’t worry too much about not getting tons of traffic or social shares. The idea is to get in front of the right people, and maybe have something you can add to a resume. Recommended Reading: How to Start a Successful Blog That Will Crush Your Marketing Goals 10 Simple Blog Post Templates to Create the Best Content The Ultimate Blog Writing Process to Create the Best Posts Keeping Your Job Hunt Organized Now, as you progress through your journey in career advancement, you’ll meet a lot of people, find lots of listings, and send out a ton of applications. In fact, it’s not unheard of for people to send literally dozens of resumes and going on multiple interviews before securing a position. It can be enough to make your head spin. So, how do you keep track of it all? Try using the template included in this post (click here to jump up to the download form). It includes everything you need to store interesting listings, keep track of where you’ve applied, and more. At the bottom, you’ll find three tabs: Opportunities, Contacts, and Interviews: Here’s what to include under each one: Opportunities: Track your job leads here. Add companies, job postings, notes, and details here. Contacts: If you meet people who might have leads for you, keep track of their names and contact information under this tab. Interviews: Going on multiple interviews at different companies? Note the dates and results of each one here. If you’re sending out a high volume of applications, this will help maintain sanity. Now, Go Get Yourself Hired That covers what you need to know about getting your next (or even first) marketing job. Here’s a recap: This post covered tons of different places to find open opportunities. It also went over how to find jobs that aren’t advertised. Some outside-the-box ways to put yourself out there. And tons more. So, now that you’ve got the information you need, there’s only one thing left to do: kick off your job hunt and take your career where you want to go.