You’re just one candidate in a sea of qualified candidates; how are you supposed to rise above the competition to get noticed by companies or land a dream job? You need to do more than submit the resume and cross your fingers. You need to know how to establish a personal brand that speaks to recruiters and companies in volumes. Your first step is to learn strategies used by successful applicants that will set you apart from others.
Tailor Your Application for Each Role
Creating a generic resume that appeals to multiple industries or roles may be easier, but it’s not going to help you stand out among other applicants. Recruiters are looking for passion and dedication to fill their roles. If your resume and cover letter are generic and could be used for any application, they’re less likely to take notice of you. First impressions are very important.
Make sure you’re researching each company you apply to and crafting a resume and cover letter that is perfectly tailored to the role. Highlight skills that match the job description. Mesh your goals with the company’s. Use keywords that are relevant to the company, job description, and role. If you’re looking for a coding role, note specific programming languages in your resume. The more specific, the better. If you’re looking for critical care medicine physician jobs, ensure you include critical care in your resume and cover letter. Craft your cover letter to showcase why you’re specifically passionate about potentially working under that role and for a particular company. For example, if you’re aiming for a position with Costco, note the company’s brand values that resonate with you in your cover letter. As a bonus, tailored keywords ensure you’re less likely to get filtered out by automated applicant tracking systems (ATS).
Build a Personal Brand
You’ll want to show the professional world why you stand out in a crowd. Instead of relying on a resume and cover letter to do all of your talking, consider “advertising” yourself in multiple ways. If there is a way you can showcase your work or successes, create a portfolio or website dedicated to your professional achievements. If you have evidence, such as client commissions or finished work, include it. You can also establish your presence on professional social media, such as LinkedIn or Facebook, where you engage with audiences. Keep these profiles active and updated to allow recruiters to see more of your personality beyond the cover letter.
Get Better at Networking
Many companies hire from within the company or industry circles. You won’t be able to access these opportunities, as the positions are already taken before they’re even posted to job boards. You’ll want to mingle with relevant professionals to get your name out there and increase your chances of exclusive job offers. Attend relevant industry conferences or webinars. Introduce yourself and partner up with professionals in your field; collaborate with them on projects. Offer volunteer work to establish your personal brand. Network with others on social media and start conversations; alumni and former colleagues are good people to begin with. You don’t want to force yourself in spaces where you’re not wanted, but you’ll get a lot farther by creating more professional relationships.
Demonstrate Your Qualifications
You’re going to want to make sure that hiring teams know your worth. How can you show off your best work? How do you prove that your work has made a difference in the past? Include how you improved a company or made a difference with a client in your resume, cover letter, portfolio, and anywhere you’re establishing a professional brand presence. Instead of “Part of the sales team for five years,” you could show that you “improved sales by 20% within six months.” Show how you improved a company or reduced issues. Prove that your skills make a difference in the industry.
Put More Effort Into Interviews
Memorizing the standard questions for your industry is a good start to preparing for interviews, but you can take your interview practice a bit further. Interviews are the first in-person impression you’ll make as a professional, so you’ll want to stand out. Do your research about the company and provide specific ways you can improve the challenges they’re facing within the field. Prepare to ask plenty of questions and come prepared by writing down relevant notes to show interest. Show you’re up to date with your role and industry by discussing relevant news or trends. Write down relevant achievements, problem-solving strategies, and task approaches to make it easier to tailor them for specific questions. When you’re more prepared for the interview, you’ll make an impression that is difficult to forget.
Recruit Some Help
It’s frustrating to try to get your foot in the door when some roles have thousands of applicants, or you’re unsure whether listings are legitimate or just another scam. There’s nothing wrong with hiring help to improve your chances of getting noticed. Resume and cover letter writers can help you tailor your professional history to meet the specific needs of each company. Recruiting companies can help circulate your name within relevant circles, getting your application on more desks. Website designers can help make your personal brand website more intuitive and engaging. Marketing or branding experts can help you establish your brand and expand your reach.
Conclusion
Crowded job markets with thousands of other applicants can feel incredibly discouraging. You’re not alone, but you’re also not out of options. The perfect job is waiting for you, but you need to establish your presence and increase your visibility among your competitors. Tailor your resume and cover letter for each role. Get to know the company so it looks better in your cover letter, application, and job interview. Create a brand out of your professional persona to show how you’ve improved and stood out in previous roles. Don’t be afraid to hire help with resume writing or recruiting.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of impakter.com — Cover Photo Credit: This_is_Engineering
