008 | On-Par Strategies to Market Yourself as a Golf Industry Professional with Erin Wolfram

Improve your job search outcomes with these tips Erin Wolfram shares on this episode of Leadership on the Links! Erin is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Professional Etiquette Consultant who is the owner of Career Advantage Golf – career consulting services geared toward professionals in golf course maintenance and turf management. Her business partners with the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) to provide its members with free resume and cover letter review services, along with additional discounted career services. Prior to becoming a business owner, Erin worked in career services and career course development. Erin has her B.S. in Secondary English Education from Kansas State University and a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology and a Master of Science in Educational Technology from The University of Kansas. In this episode, Erin Wolfram of Career Advantage Golf shares insights aspiring superintendents and other golf professionals can use to stand out in their job search. Demonstrate the Value You Can Bring After reviewing thousands of resumes, Erin can confidently say many job seekers are very duty and responsibility focused. While this can be a great way to highlight your experience, it's important to also demonstrate what you have accomplished in previous roles. Showcasing successful projects, leadership strengths, and tangible results all help differentiate yourself from other candidates. Her advice is to highlight how your leadership skills positively impacted your facility, crew, and the overall organization. Update Your Application Materials on a Regular Basis It's very common for Erin to run into job seekers who haven't updated their application materials, such as their resume, cover letter, and portfolio, in over a decade. Of course, this often leaves these job seekers little time to update their materials and submit a polished application. Erin recommends taking a more proactive approach by regularly updating these materials, even if you are not actively applying for jobs. This ensures your information is accurate, up to date, and not rushed. Tailor Your Application to Each Role Hiring managers can spot an application that was copy and pasted from another. Erin recommends first developing a strong foundational resume and then tweaking it to adhere to the job you're applying for. It's important to show employers that you put the effort into your application. Hiring managers want to see that you can communicate your specific strengths as a candidate in relation to the role. Take an Active Interest in Your Profession Don't just join professional associations, but take an active role in them. Go to the meetings and annual conferences, network with members, build relationships, and really market yourself. By doing this, you are showing others that you are committed to your industry and professional development. You will soon find that by fostering these connections, more opportunities will come your way. Enjoy this episode with Career Advantage Golf owner Erin Wolfram… Soundbytes 19:21-19:46 "I think, in this industry, in particular, portfolios are important. And I find that a lot of people don't have a portfolio. And again, sometimes they are requested to bring a portfolio to an interview, and then there's this mad dash to get something together that could be much better if they would have started early. So I think portfolios are a great way to market yourself in this industry. " 20:47-21:14 "In order to really market yourself in an interview, you want to provide specific answers that give quality examples that demonstrate the value that you've brought to your previous organizations that you will then bring to this future organization. So, really thinking about specific examples that demonstrate your greatest skills, strengths, and qualifications." Quotes "The folks who I work with who utilize LinkedIn, and utilize it effectively, are marketing themselves better than others." "Think of examples that you want to share with others. And know that it's not bragging, it's not being conceited. It's what you have to do to demonstrate your value." "Get with your partner, get with your friends, get with someone like me, and actually practice answering questions, because it's not something that's comfortable, right?" "I do recommend that you get some advice from somebody else in your industry." Links mentioned in this episode: Tyler Bloom Consulting: https://tylerbloomconsulting.com/ Career Advantage Golf: https://careeradvantagegolf.com/ Connect with Erin Wolfram on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinwolfram/ | https://www.linkedin.com/company/careeradvantagegolf/