Be a purple squirrel & get the SEO job you want!

Looking for your next SEO job? In this blog Sammii, an SEO Strategist, shares her job hunting journey & some top tips for finding your dream digital marketing job! 

It can be a tiresome decision to make that brave next step in your career… I know.

I always wanted to build a successful career in online marketing and despite the trials and tribulations, I managed to get the right skills, learn to be confident and "talk the talk" to get where I am today.  You might think that the people who get the best jobs, are the lucky ones… Wrong.  I believe if you focus and have a set of goals, keep trying because you can make it happen if you want it to. 

After getting back into SEO in 2012, fast forward 2 enjoyable years in an agency, in December 2014, I decided I could make another leap. Although I have experience in SEO, this industry is moving at full speed and I knew that if I was going to jump ship to another SEO agency, I should aim high.

To do this I had to do some self analysis. Why did I do a self analysis you might ask? Well I would like to introduce you to the purple squirrel. This term is very seldom used, but in terms of wanting to stand out for my next job, I thought it offers a clever interpretation to a candidate that stands out. There is no denying every employer is looking for the ideal candidate or the purple squirrel, but you can make them believe they need you in their company, regardless if you do not have all the skills. In a nutshell (excuse the pun), the purple squirrel describes a candidate who in the eyes of a recruiter, possess the perfect experiences that perfectly fit a job's multifaceted requirements. I am by no means perfect, but I am a tryer and I work hard. By understanding what it takes to do a job in SEO and understanding what other competitors are doing I knew I had to interpret my skills in the best light.  That meant presenting my most relevant experience so that my CV would stand out and be put forward for the best jobs.

If you want to get noticed and be more "purple squirrel" than grey squirrel, when looking for that perfect SEO role, here are some tips to help give you the edge.

Don't take your everyday responsibilities for granted.

It can be easy to feel in a rut, but to take your first step in looking for that new job, take time to think about what you actually do in your every day to day duties. It can be quite easy to think you do the same things everyday.  Sit down, take a pen and paper and drill down to what you do in your role and what skills it requires. You will be surprised at what you actually do that you didn't realise.

Stick with a traditional CV

It can be quite easy to think: "I need to think outside the box" when it comes to creating your CV, but a well presented CV will do more than an all singing all dancing arty CV. Make sure your CV has a punchy profile summary that highlights the key skills you want to grab attention to. Choose your killer skills and responsibilities to outline your experience relevant to the SEO roles you are applying for. For more CV tips check out the 5 things to NOT include on your resume.

Let the professionals help you get the job

While it's good to keep your options open when looking for a job, using a digital recruitment agency such as The Candidate, will help to increase your chances of getting the interviews that are right for you. Laura Head of Commerce recruitment says:

 "The Candidate are a Digital Marketing recruitment agency who represent superb candidates and clients across both advertising agency and client side companies. The team here do their upmost to present candidates with opportunities that not only suit their skill set but also their culture fit. Our key focus is our candidates, we aim to get a real understanding of your requirements and always aim to meet, even for a coffee to help us get to understand your personality and what makes you tick."

Don't dread the interview - Embrace it

Interviewers are now testing candidates with a number of competency tests from interviews to presentations. Simon Clarke writes an excellent article about preparing to give a embracing brief in an interview. The good news is you can be prepared for them. Speak to your recruiter and find out what type of interview process you could expect and if you can have the brief in advance. Get as much information as you can to prepare.  

It doesn't matter if you're looking for your first graduate job in SEO or looking for a change in career prospects, to sell yourself you need to know and understand yourself.  Your best seller is yourself.

About the Author

Sammii Taylor came to The Candidate in 2015 looking to make a leap from a demanding SEO role in a small web design agency to something she could progress further in the world of SEO she was passionate about. With the help of Laura Walters and Simon Clarke, Sammii was shown what digital role she would be able to aim at to develop her career. As digital recruiters, they were able to locate jobs that mirrored her skills whilst enabling her to push them into new areas the industry. Because she was still working full time, she made The Candidate aware she had to be selective on what jobs to attend interviews for. She finally found her dream job with a large agency after only attending 2 interviews. Both Sammii and The Candidate where pleased to have found a role that matched her aspirations.