During your job search, you will be faced with lots of competition from other candidates. Particularly, this is common in highly competitive or skilled industries, like the legal or medical fields. Job searching can sometimes feel complicated, including knowing how to stand out to employers.
This blog explores different ways you can attract a potential employer’s attention. Beating the competition as you have made yourself known and stand out against the crowd. Here is what you can do to stand out:
Do your research
When applying, research the job role and company thoroughly before you even send your application through. From this, you can find key buzzwords to include in your CV, application, and job interview. For example, these could be corporate terms, company values, or industry terms/skills. Keywords are likely to crop up in job descriptions, on the company’s social media accounts, in their marketing, or even in conversations with their staff should you network with them. Automatically, this will grab attention as your corporate vocabulary is a match. Proving that you have done your research, employers will be more invested in getting to know you as you have grabbed their attention from the buzzwords that they use themselves. However, it is important to still be your natural self throughout the recruitment process.
Not only this, but research relevant connections. Perhaps important employees at the company, or well-known names in your industry. Mentioning or talking about these people in the interview proves your further knowledge. Showcasing these networks demonstrates that you know what resources you can leverage in your work to be successful. When mentioning an employee’s, or someone of significance’s name, the interviewer is likely to pause and think, ‘hang on, this person really understands the industry and knows what they’re talking about’.
Tailor your CV / application
Top Tip: Remember to tailor your CV to each job you are applying for. Even if it’s the same job title to previous jobs you’ve applied, each role will be slightly different. As a result, it’s important to tailor your CV and application to every job opportunity. Doing so will enable to specifically mention experience / responsibilities related to the experience / duties mentioned in the job description. Also, if you’ve researched the hiring firm you will be able to mention buzzwords that we discussed above. All of this will enable you to stand out to employers over candidates who don’t tailor their CV.
Decide what you want from your job search and next job
Before starting your job search, consider what you would like to gain from your job search, next job, and future employer. This will prevent you from wasting both yours and the hiring manager’s time on the wrong job fit. Besides, being clear on what you want will enable you to be enthusiastic about the jobs you apply for and focussing your energy on perfecting your job applications.
Make yourself rememberable
During a job search, lots of candidates can go into an interview and answer the questions correctly and with confidence. However, not everyone is remembered, as this isn’t enough.
One way to stand out is to provide specific facts, figures and achievements relevant to the role. When possible, back up what you’re saying with a statistic. How much did you increase X by? This way, interviewers will understand that you aren’t just telling them what they want to hear, but you have substance to what you’re saying. This makes the interview much more memorable, as key numbers and facts will stick out.
Another way to stand out is to go further than the basic requirements. For example, try and find out the interviewer’s name and research them. Do they have any hobbies/interests/skills that are similar to yours? When relevant, you can bring these into conversation to find a common ground with your interviewer. Ultimately, the interviewer is likely to remember you much more, as you are already demonstrating getting along well with a team member.
Show interest in how you want to and can help the firm
Likely, you are being hired for one of two reasons – expansion, or to close a skills gap. Having a skills gap means that there are problems to be fixed. Demonstrate that you are there to fix these problems with a positive attitude. Showcase your ideas or offer a different perspective to the firm that they might not have considered yet that could be successful and of use to them. Further, perhaps have examples ready or a portfolio to show of times when you have faced problems before, and how you came to be the one to solve them. Having evidence to what you’re saying will only impress hiring managers more as it shows you are committed to helping this business.
Show your culture type and demonstrate your commitment to the organisation
Another way to stand out during your job search is to show not only that you are committed to the job role, but the company as a whole. Demonstrate that you are committed to their company culture and show how you fit in with it. Prove that you aren’t just there for a pay check, but also to work and connect with a team of like-minded individuals to achieve success. Show how you can be a brand ambassador. Firms don’t want to hire someone that won’t bring good to their company. Perhaps explain how you want to be involved in the company’s community. Maybe you want to hold networking events with partners / clients / target lists and spread the name of the firm. Furthermore, maybe you want to write blogs/articles for the company’s website, or volunteer in the local community on your company’s behalf.
If you can show a hiring manager that you want to gel in the company, not just work for them, then you will stand out in your job search. By doing this, you will eliminate your competition easily, as you have cared to go the extra mile in representing yourself.
Reach out to hiring managers directly
It can be counterproductive in your job search when you spend time waiting for a specific business to post a vacancy. Use and show initiative, reach out to your target company directly. Get in touch with them and ask what vacancies they have. You might have just saved yourself a fierce fight with other candidates who were waiting for the same opportunity. Hiring managers will be keen to speak with someone who has gone out of their way to get in touch with them. This is because it shows passion, proactiveness, and makes you stand out. Even if the firm isn’t hiring in that current time, they are able to keep you on record and know who you are should any other opportunities arise.
Be assertive
If you get to interview stage, it’s crucial that you are assertive. Dress to impress, go in and make good eye contact, listen for the interviewer’s name and use it throughout. Grabbing attention further as it shows you have listened or acted upon even the basics of things that not everyone does.
Follow up after the interview
However your interview might have gone, an email thanking the hiring managers and reiterating your passion and interest for the role will go a long way. But don’t stop here. If your interview had a heavy discussion around an example of something you have done, why not send over your portfolio or evidence of what you spoke about. Reiterating that the interview and job role is important to you, and you are serious about it. Alternatively, if the interview didn’t go as well as you hoped, this acts as a second chance to win them over, using initiative to rectify a wrong. Ultimately, you are able to separate yourself from your competition in your job search, as they won’t have thought to go the extra mile.
Online presence
Finally, having a strong LinkedIn profile or your own personal website/brand you can show off will set you ahead of competition. Employers are able to see what you’re all about without having to put too much effort into searching, which is what they like. Showcasing what you’re all about, how you can fit in with their team and culture, and that you care about establishing and maintaining a positive image for yourself and the company will ring positive alarm bells in their minds. Also, it’s important to ensure your skills and achievements are reflected in your online medias. We have a blog on creating a professional online profile. Click here to read the blog.
Conclusion
Evidently, there are many ways in which you can stand out during your job search. Hopefully, this advice has given you a starting point in levelling up your job search efforts. We understand that a job search is never easy, and that is why we are here to take the hard work off you. Whether that is finding opportunities with our clients, interview preparation, or salary negotiations, we are here to help you secure your perfect role. Should you like help with your job search, please don’t hesitate to contact us and see how we can help you.
