By Amanda Augustine
Catch your interviewer's eye with these surprisingly simple tips and reel in your next job.
In today's competitive job search, you could be battling 100 other qualified candidates for a position. (At least! -Ed) The only way to get the job is to catch the eye of the interviewers. Here are seven ways you can distinguish yourself from the pack during your job search.
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| Like it or not - you are in competition |
Keep your story consistent
Make sure your online story - in the form of professional profiles, memberships, and so forth - aligns with your job goals and resume. It's important for a recruiter or hiring manager to find the same person online they met face-to-face or on paper.
Develop your tagline
Think about what makes you unique, taking into account your career goals, interests and passions, and what strengths you bring to the table. Use this information to develop the tagline to your elevator pitch. It should be short, memorable and adaptable to any audience.
Recommend a friend
If a recruiter reaches out with a position that isn't a great fit, don't ignore the message. Instead, look through your network to see if you know someone who would be a better fit for the position. This puts you in the recruiter's good graces and gives you a chance to clarify your professional brand and job goals.
Voice your opinion
Join and actively participate in online discussions with networking groups related to your target field of work. Engage in the conversation and share your knowledge. Recruiters are notorious for trolling these groups to scout potential candidates - by starting and contributing to conversations related to your industry, you're setting yourself apart from the other members.
FedEx it
Reserve this tactic for the job for which you're a perfect fit and incredibly interested in. In addition to submitting your application through the company's online application system, FedEx a copy of your resume and cover letter to the hiring manager. FedEx packages are typically opened by the actual recipient, thus bypassing the gatekeeper and ensuring your application makes it to a key decision maker.
Come prepared
It's appalling how many professionals show up to an interview unprepared. Before you enter the room, make sure you've done your research. Set up Google Alerts on the company to stay abreast of any news related to your target employer. Research the company so you have a good sense of their business and standing in the marketplace. Practice responding to the interview questions that make you uneasy (i.e. "Tell me about yourself") and prepare questions for each interviewer that demonstrate you've done your homework and are genuinely interested in the role.
Say thank you
A study by TheLadders found that only 67 percent of those polled send a thank-you note after every interview. By sending a thank-you message to each interviewer within 24 hours of the interview, you differentiate yourself from other candidates and can help advance your candidacy to the next round.
Amanda Augustine is the Job Search Expert for TheLadders. She provides job search and career guidance for professionals looking to make their next career move. Have a question for Amanda? Follow her at @JobSearchAmanda on Twitter and "Like" her on Facebook for up-to-the-minute job-search advice.
Make sure your online story - in the form of professional profiles, memberships, and so forth - aligns with your job goals and resume. It's important for a recruiter or hiring manager to find the same person online they met face-to-face or on paper.
Develop your tagline
Think about what makes you unique, taking into account your career goals, interests and passions, and what strengths you bring to the table. Use this information to develop the tagline to your elevator pitch. It should be short, memorable and adaptable to any audience.
Recommend a friend
If a recruiter reaches out with a position that isn't a great fit, don't ignore the message. Instead, look through your network to see if you know someone who would be a better fit for the position. This puts you in the recruiter's good graces and gives you a chance to clarify your professional brand and job goals.
Voice your opinion
Join and actively participate in online discussions with networking groups related to your target field of work. Engage in the conversation and share your knowledge. Recruiters are notorious for trolling these groups to scout potential candidates - by starting and contributing to conversations related to your industry, you're setting yourself apart from the other members.
FedEx it
Reserve this tactic for the job for which you're a perfect fit and incredibly interested in. In addition to submitting your application through the company's online application system, FedEx a copy of your resume and cover letter to the hiring manager. FedEx packages are typically opened by the actual recipient, thus bypassing the gatekeeper and ensuring your application makes it to a key decision maker.
Come prepared
It's appalling how many professionals show up to an interview unprepared. Before you enter the room, make sure you've done your research. Set up Google Alerts on the company to stay abreast of any news related to your target employer. Research the company so you have a good sense of their business and standing in the marketplace. Practice responding to the interview questions that make you uneasy (i.e. "Tell me about yourself") and prepare questions for each interviewer that demonstrate you've done your homework and are genuinely interested in the role.
Say thank you
A study by TheLadders found that only 67 percent of those polled send a thank-you note after every interview. By sending a thank-you message to each interviewer within 24 hours of the interview, you differentiate yourself from other candidates and can help advance your candidacy to the next round.
Amanda Augustine is the Job Search Expert for TheLadders. She provides job search and career guidance for professionals looking to make their next career move. Have a question for Amanda? Follow her at @JobSearchAmanda on Twitter and "Like" her on Facebook for up-to-the-minute job-search advice.
This post originally appeared here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amanda-augustine/small-jobsearch-steps-tha_b_4296058.html?utm_hp_ref=college
Good article Neil. Reassuring to know that some things still work the same as they did the last time I looked for employment some 20 years ago. It was a different world back then, not based on technology, but that personal touch is always the icing on the cake.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting here Marcia. I agree with you that things have changed so much in the last 20 years, that sometimes it's easy to forget some of the older practices and principles still count as much or more than ever. Oh and please accept my sincere thanks for being the only person to post two comments here today ;-)
DeleteThanks for the tips that you had shared to us. It is really important to be prepare before your interview comes.
ReplyDeleteAustralian Job Search
My pleasure Heidi,
DeleteI hope you'll stay tuned - I add new material to the blog several times a week and my Twitter feed contains even more!
Best wishes
Neil
Great Information posting ! Spend some time, one to two weeks, building up your contacts on Facebook and Linkedin – while you are job searching. The bigger your network the better. Start by making a list of all the groups your personal network falls into (i.e. church, kid’s sports, neighbors, old neighbors, high school classmates, college classmates, old work acquaintances, hobby groups, etc.). Then reach out to them and connect with them on Facebook or Linkedin. Why? Those tools are like your rolodex of contacts. They not only help organize your contacts, but allow you to effectively communicate with them as well.
ReplyDeletejob search tips
Despite such circumstances, it is still possible to find a job after tweaking your expectations and drawing the line in areas where you would be willing to compromise. Read more: 6 ways to adjust job search expectations during a pandemic.
ReplyDelete