How to stand out from the crowd

Are you fed up with hearing that you need to ‘stand out’ amongst other job seekers?  Many have no idea what that means or where to even start.  It’s a complex world right now and job hunting can be hard work. 

We once read in a local paper about an ‘older’ gentleman who claims he couldn’t find work because employers were ageist. We immediately contacted the journalist that wrote this and gave our feedback.  Namely, we are sure this person’s resume was not ‘standing out’ or written correctly, nor was he doing the right things to secure a job.  We offered our services for free to try and help.

Once we spoke with the job seeker, there were a number of factors that stood out.

1. His resume needed work.
2. He was extremely inflexible with regards to working hours (he had a part-time job that he enjoyed but resulted in him being available for only a small amount of hours each day)
3. His attitude; he was fed up and disheartened.  It was nothing to do with his age (not that I could find anyway).

We understand how difficult and de-motivating the job hunt can be. Applying to hundreds of job applications then only hearing from a handful of them and in most cases receiving next to no feedback. But you need to remain positive, you need to ensure you have the best resume and you need to be flexible.  Here are some tips that we hope will help you:

1. Find a good recruiter. A recruiter that you can form a relationship with, one that will give you direct and consistent feedback and one that will know you inside and out and represent you well. This may take a bit of time as there are many transactional recruiters out there, but there are also many good recruiters who will work with you to secure that ideal job.
2. Be yourself. Be authentic. Employers, and especially recruiters, are immediately suspicious of people who respond to questions in a rehearsed or wooden way. Let your personality shine. Be prepared to tell your recruiter or potential employer about your capabilities and passions (professionally of course!); what gets you excited and what motivates you. Let your guard down a little. Trust us; you will stand out as a result.
3. Follow up: The biggest part of job hunting is getting an ‘in’. Securing that first interview. Follow up your application with a phone call or LinkedIn message asking to meet them regardless of whether you were successful for that role. You will stand out in their mind and be foremost when they recruit again.
4. Make sure your resume is easy to follow and includes all your relevant employment information. We cannot stress this enough. If necessary go to a professional resume writer that has a good reputation. Do your homework as it can be expensive, but it’s worth it to have a top quality resume that effectively sells your accomplishments and skills.
5. Be professionally and positively visible in social media, particularly LinkedIn. This is essential now as many future employers will look through their online contacts first before advertising a role. Be active. Like articles of interest and follow relevant people. Be professional at all times, and if your online footprint is consistent and engaging your resume and LinkedIn profile can help get you in the door for a job interview.

For more assistance with interview preparation, our team can assist.  Visit our Career Services page or call our team today on 4088 1571.

Eva Grabner
Managing Director
Elite Executive Pty Ltd
www.eliteexecutive.com.au
Cairns | Brisbane