The game of politics is no stranger to attacks that border on personal. One of the most effective ways for a politician to discredit an opponent is through attacking his personal stances on issues. 

A recent development in the New Jersey gubernatorial race has Senator Barbara Buono taking an apparent shot at current governor Chris Christie. Remarking that watching Christie “frolicking on the beach is not going to drive me to go to the shore.”

For better or for worse, Christie has dealt with his weight differently over the years. In 2011, when a columnist called him “extremely obese,” Christie reportedly questioned his own weight and looked into ways to improve his lifestyle. This culminated in Christie’s decision to undergo a lap band operation secretly during February of 2013.

The moral here is that your weight, your beliefs, your ideas, your posts, your pictures… All of these negatives are potential obstacles in the road to getting a job. Not only can you correct these issues, you can show how your status as an outstanding citizen in your community makes you a viable candidate for a job.

Volunteer

Jeffrey Bartel is a business leader from Florida whose track record of civic duty has led to numerous accolades that have boosted his business. Bartel has said, “My mom in particular always taught that with personal and professional opportunity comes the need to give back with time and resources and energy, and to provide to others in the community. That is citizenship.”

Volunteer work can be done at your local homeless shelter, or a state fair. Look for farmer’s markets in your local area, or volunteer to read at a retirement home. Getting yourself out into the world where you can enrich people’s lives will put you on other people’s radar. You can also get valuable recommendations from the process by asking the supervisors you work with.

Network

Events are great networking tools because you meet so many people back to back. In order to maximize the time you spent, be prepared to bring a lot of energy to the event. Your personality should be bright and vibrant. Have something interesting to say that takes a minute or less to talk about. Don’t hang up on a lot of filler words, and speak with confidence.

Always carry a business card. You never know who you may meet, or what opportunities you can find.

Organize Functions

Even though you may lack the financial resources to start a function, you could plan something with another leader in your community. You can try to plan an event at your local park, or you can raise funds for another event in your area. Make yourself a part of the planning phase and work hard to create a memorable event.

Timing

When Antoine Dodson discovered a man breaking into his sister’s room from the outside, he snapped into action and managed to scare the man off. An interview about the incident would lead to Dodson becoming an Internet sensation. His “hide your kids, hide your wife,” monologue would become one of the most viewed YouTube videos of all time.

You might not be able to immediately save someone’s life, but keeping an eye on your neighbors could come in handy. A phone call to report domestic abuse, helping a cat from a tree, even volunteering at your local library all have benfits to your status as a local celebrity. Don’t forget to note your exemplary behavior on your CV.

This is a guest post for TheEmployable