How to Promote Yourself Without Being Weird
I know that a job search can be a lot. On top of the time, energy, and brain space it takes up, you also have to put yourself out there. Not only do you have to think about your resume and answering interview questions, you also have to think about how you present yourself in other spaces.
I think you know this: every organization that you apply to will google you and look at your social media. I don’t want you to overthink it, but I do think it’s helpful to be aware that what you put out there will be seen by the people you want to work with.
My colleague, Brenna Reagan, leads NRG’s social media. They know a lot about this topic and stay on top of trends in this space. Be sure to read to the end because steps 3 and 4 are golden. I’ll let Brenna take it from here.
I’m Brenna and I run NRG’s marketing team! I’m a nerd when it comes to all things marketing and brand - and I can’t stress how important it is to prioritize the story you tell online when you’re searching for a job.
Before I dive in, I want to emphasize that marketing ourselves as candidates is not about selling ourselves. Many of us here aren’t looking for a big corporate gig. We’re not making sales. We’re not commodities. Marketing ourselves is about showing up as the best version of ourselves - as full, authentic humans - and making sure people see that. It’s making it crystal clear how your values, story, and skillset are valuable to the movements you care about.
1) Personal Brand
This step is important, but don’t overthink it. Write out and practice saying your personal story. This should be a narrative about your why. This is a story you will tell everywhere - on social media, the start of a networking call, the beginning of a job interview, and throughout your career.
I like to start by answering a few grounding questions, and then turning that into a few paragraphs. Below is a questionnaire that can help get you started. From there, develop a story that you can use as consistent messaging about yourself.
Where am I from?
How do I identify?
What was the choice, action, or turning point that got me into this work?
In one sentence, what’s the change I want to see in the world?
What is my expertise? (hard skills)
What am I great at? (soft skills)
What makes me unique and valuable?
What do I want to learn?
2) Elevator Pitch
We don’t always have 3-5 minutes to share our entire personal story, so in comes the elevator pitch. Unfortunately, I’ve never had to use mine in an actual elevator encounter, but I still wait for the day. But, I have used this in DMs, networking events, warm intros, and more.
Consistency: Know your message and nail it every time. Consistency about who you are also builds credibility.
Power of 3: Include 3 things to say about yourself. This is just enough to quickly highlight who you are and your strengths. It’s short enough that it’s memorable.
Call to action: Depends on the context. “I’d love to learn more about the Organizing Director position you’re hiring for. Can we set up a time to talk further?” or “I’d love to stay in touch. Can we connect on LinkedIn?”
If I were talking to a Chief Communications Officer at one of my favorite climate groups that’s hiring, my elevator pitch would look something like this, “Again, it’s so great meeting you! To formally introduce myself, I’m Brenna, I use she/they pronouns. I’d sum myself up as (1) a savvy digital strategist with (2) a background in climate justice organizing. (3) I have a track record for building out strategic marketing programs from the ground up. I’d love to learn more about the marketing position you’re hiring for. Can we set up a time to chat further?”
3) Online Presence
Hands down, IMO, LinkedIn is the most important online presence to build when on the job hunt. If it makes sense for your career, your presence on TikTok, Insta, Substack, X, etc. can all make an impact, too. Start here:
Socials: Polish any platforms that engage with your professional life (hint: get that personal brand consistent across these spaces).
Portfolio: If you can, create a professional website or portfolio. This is obvious for any comms or creative folks out there. But I’ve also seen really impressive portfolios for community organizers, strategy consultants, etc. This is a big topic, so we can send a future newsletter on this. Stay tuned!
Engage in online communities: Some of my favorites right now are Arena Careers, GAIN, RadComms, Dino DNA, and Community Centric Fundraising. Don’t sleep on the Slack channels or listservs. Be responsive. Take up space.
LinkedIn is a craft in and of itself. Our next Small Group Coaching Session about LinkedIn and networking is on May 21, if you’d like to learn more. In the meantime, here are 4 quick tips to shaping up your profile:
Profile Picture: Use a good headshot or action shot (if you don’t have a recent one, like me, I used an AI app to turn a selfie into a headshot. The best feedback I got: “You’re serving.”)
Banner: Use the banner image as another opportunity to share something about yourself. Here’s mine.
Personalize: Fill out the headline and bio sections. (Shoutout to the elevator pitch and personal narrative you’ve been working on.)
Keywords: Optimize your online profile with keywords.
Add bullet points to each job as you would a resume. Include concrete skills people are looking for in the next job you want.
Make it easier for people to find you. Use common job titles in your experience section like ‘Organizing Director’ or ‘Director of Development’.
4) Network in the Digital Space
Connect: Shoot for 500+ LinkedIn Connections. When requesting a new connection, add a short message - this makes it so much easier to DM someone in the future and shows you aren’t just a silent follower. Mine is usually something like “Hey NAME, I’m working on making more connections with people doing work that I admire in this space. I’m obsessed with what you and your team are doing at ORG. I’m hoping we can connect!”
Events: Look out for virtual networking opportunities, digital conferences, and events. Be a participant - talk to like-minded people, learn about their career journeys, and keep your finger on the pulse for interesting work being done on issues you care about.
Post to your network: Be open about your job search and ask for referrals. People usually want to help, and are excited to do so.
Chin up: Don’t expect a 100% response rate. People are busy. My favorite project at NRG has been building out our Networking Toolkit, which you can access by joining our Talent Network. This gives you everything you need to do to start networking like a pro in the digital space (and IRL).
Hope this helps! And if you want to stay connected, add me on LinkedIn.
Director of Government Affairs @ Americans for Responsible Innovation; DC; $175K-$250K
Executive Director @ Children’s Advocacy Alliance of Nevada; Las Vegas; $100K-$110K
U.S. Oil & Gas Strategic Coordinator @ Oil Change International; Remote; $100K
Director of Development @ Only One; Remote; $100K-$125K
Director, Corporate Power & Financial Regulation @ Roosevelt Institute; Remote (DC/NYC preferred); $155K-$170K
Executive Director @ Root; Salem; $150K
Sr Coaching Director @ New Left Accelerator; Remote; $115K-$140K
Managing Director, The Capacity Shop @ New Left Accelerator; Remote; $120K-$150K
Statewide Director of Organizing @ Make The Road New Jersey; Elizabeth; $107.7K-$121.5K
This is not all! We are hiring for additional jobs and you can see all of our openings on the NRG website.
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Follow NRG on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on all of the roles we are hiring for. If you aren’t currently a member of the NRG Talent Network, consider joining. The questions take 3 minutes to complete and it lets us know that you are thinking about your next role.
Let’s move,
Naomi
P.S. If you’d like a partner to help you with your job search strategy, sign up right now for 15 minutes with Kristin to learn how NRG’s coaching programs can help you.
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