While I would not pledge inaction, I think this year is an excellent time to plan and perform other constructive brand-building activities. For me, I’m getting articles published in trade rags and chasing speaking engagements, as well as trying to make my presence felt in my professional organization. But, unless someone offers too-hard-to-pass-up numbers, I’m not sure I would jump right now.

You know the old saying, “buy low, sell high”? Selling yourself now will not get you maximum dollars, but buying into something you can sell later right now is a primo idea.

I read the new 2nd edition of Andrew Keen’s book entitled _The Cult of the Amateur: How Today’s Internet is Killing Our Culture_. Keen is by no means a Luddite, he founded several high tech companies in the San Francisco Bay Area and has been online since the early 90′s.

Nevertheless, he is very concerned that because it is so easy to create and post works now electronically, we’re seeing a lot more trash online lately. In a previous time, it really meant something to have your work picked up by a major magazine or publishing house. It also meant something if you put forth your own money for printing materials. Now the estimate is we’ve got at least 77,000,000 blogs online — are they all good?

I’ve worked in high tech for many years, and absolutely love how it opens new doors for people. Yes, to film yourself, to record yourself, that’s fabulous. At the same time, it’s easy for us in high tech to overhype. Keen’s book covers several of these technologies, e.g., blogs, YouTube, MySpace, etc. along with their shortcomings. By knowing both the possibilities and risks involved in using these, you can determine the kind of messages right for the firm you’re creating. Stand out by being the kind that lures in new business and repeat customers.

Your proactive business approach sounds so right. It’s what successful marketers do. They research potential markets, then target the promising ones accordingly. They take the product they believe in and repackage it in terms that appeal to each audience. (The same car gets pitched one way to singles vs. another way to families.) Doing this successfully, however, does take time and effort.

That’s why mass media advertising (like sending 1,000 resumes) yields such poor results. You’ll notice the more effective forms of direct marketing seem to talk to you and your individual needs (even if we otherwise call it “junk mail.”)

If you ever did want to be in business for yourself, that’s exactly what you’re doing as a job hunter. It’s all about where can I promote and place this product at what price to customers willing to buy. And YOU are the product!

I love how you’ve made it crystal clear that the skills needed to research, plan, pitch, and build a business are exactly translatable to landing (or creating) a great job. This is required reading for any serous job seeker who is willing and eager to do what the competition isn’t.

Your advice puts the job seeker in his/her “place of power” because they’ll be approaching job search like they do their job (if they were good) – a mission critical, leave no stone unturned, failure is not an option endeavor. Translation — they’ll do what it takes to create opportunities and prove value — and in doing so they’ll be empowered and rewarded.

It’s not easy, especially these days, but what job worth doing is easy? Too many job seekers think online ads and recruiters will get them a job – working a job search like work/business is not a concept that occurs to them or that they embrace. And that’s OK — leaves more opportunities for those that do.

Maybe that sounds harsh, but I REALLY get frustrated and am saddened/baffled by job seekers who just won’t accept that there isn’t an easy/quick way to do this.

Thanks, as always, for your reality check AND your executable plan for success. It will enlighten and truly help those who are open to your message.