While it is safe to say that the job market was reasonably competitive before the global pandemic, you can be assured that right now, employers are even pickier about who they are bringing on board. While the dramatic increase in unemployment rates has meant for a huge increase in job seekers, the tried and true tips for helping your resume stand out from a crowd still hold true. This post will focus on advice for candidates to stand out when the competition is high against others with similar skill sets.
Position Yourself Early
Given that employers receive many, many applications for most jobs, it makes sense that they pick the most qualified of the candidates to come in for an interview. You need to know what those hiring managers are looking for from a successful candidate and position yourself appropriately to impress those readers. Highlight your past successes. Showcase your quantifiable results to give them an idea of what you could do for them if you were hired. Growing a team is hard work. Make it easy for your hiring manager and show them why you are the most qualified applicant right from the beginning.
Invest in a Really Good Cover Letter
To catch a busy hiring manager’s attention, spend some time developing an excellently written and super relevant cover letter. This is your foot in the door in any job application. You can be sure that managers are going to be drowning in templatized letters and boring language. Yours needs to stand out from the crowd to make sure your hiring manager knows that you are more than just here for a job, you want to work for them. Be enthusiastic. Be specific in how you can help them achieve their goals. Show how you are willing to learn and eager to get started, and you’re already halfway to a job assignment.
Think Outside the Resume
It’s not just a cover letter and a resume that get someone hired. It’s the personal connection that they can make with the hiring manager. If your application reads like you are a robot, chances are the employer won’t be interested enough to want to work with you. Sometimes you need to do something different to stand out from the crowd. Consider calling or visiting the office directly (if possible). Connect with employers on social media. Learn as much as you can about the company and about the team you want to join so that they know how committed you are to the role before you are even hired.
Promote Your Leadership Skills
Lastly, but certainly not least important, are highlighting leadership skills in your application. There are many different “soft skills” that can help candidates stand out from a crowded field of applicants, but leadership is one of the most appealing of those skills. Like communication, many applicants may present themselves as having high-quality leadership skills without actually knowing what is required to exemplify this soft skill. Leadership is made up of a variety of essential abilities, including risk assessment, taking the initiative, the ability to engage and motivate other team members, decision-making skills, resourcefulness, trust, and loyalty, to have and deliver on long term goals, and the ability to deliver on commitments and make the team look good.
Stand Out with ESGI
Differentiation is the key to a crowded job market. Make sure you look and sound different than the rest to get the right attention. Then let your qualifications do the rest. For more tips on how to move your career forward even in the most challenging job markets, connect with a recruiter at ESGI today.
