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Today, it’s quite easy to get lost in the crowd of Job Seekers & Applicant Tracking systems. It’s important to try and make a memorable impression on employers; it can have quite the payoff too!

The job market is certainly heating up post covid with a high volume of businesses hiring for the best candidate. If there has been any time to stand out, it’s now!

Here are 5 ways to stand out during your job search journey, resume writing, and the interview process to help boost your chances of securing your ideal role!

1. Give examples of your skills, experience, and when you’ve gone above and beyond

You are probably reading our first point and thinking… “well der…” but you would be surprised how often people lack outlining their skills, experience, and examples in their resume. In fact, many people even lack clearly outlining some key examples during an interview that could well and truly be the difference in standing out amongst the other candidates.

Don’t forget that most employers use an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to scan resumes for keywords to identify your skills and experience that matches the description of the job ad. If you don’t include these, you’re at risk of your resume getting completely lost and missing out on your application proceeding to the next stage.

2. Tailor your resume for the job you’re applying for

Think of your resume as your sales pitch, you only have a few seconds to catch the attention of the hiring managers. This is a case of “One-sized does not fit all”. Just because most employers use an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) doesn’t mean you can’t stand out above other candidates. It’s important to ensure that your resume is a reflection of the job description of the job you’re applying for to include keywords. Highlight your experience regardless of the industry and stand out. Send out fewer resumes but ensure they are more thorough and that your message is getting across just how good you really are.

3. Ask really good interview questions!

Remember, an interview is a two-way street; it’s to understand if you’re a good fit for the business but it’s also if this is the right opportunity and business for you, and great questions not only help you understand this, but it helps you stand out from just asking ordinary questions.

Most people tend to ask general questions but it’s recommended to prepare and ask at least three open-ended questions. And note; you’re not limited to what you can ask (well, you kind of are but you get the drift). Asking for examples from the interviewers for your specific questions is a great idea! This also shows the interviewers that you are not just asking generalized questions as part of a routine. An example and one of my personal favourites is “Can you please provide an example of when you personally have positively impacted the culture?”.

4. Show how much you know about the organization!

Research, research, research! While asking questions is great, it’s best to steer clear of the very basic questions mentioned in point two, it’s crucial to research more in-depth information about the organization. Showing you understand the organization’s mission, products, and services, key competitors, and reputation in the market has an extremely positive impact on your chances of progressing. More than 30% of employers say that more knowledge shown by the candidate about the organizations catches their eye.

5. Don’t stop looking!

No matter how amazing the job you applied for is, or even if you attended the interview and it went exactly to plan, it’s important to keep looking for new opportunities. Until you have a contract in your hand, keep reminding yourself that you don’t have a job thus the importance of continuing your job search. We have seen countless job seekers pause their job search waiting for an offer (being overconfident) that never came through. You will lose time and momentum on your job search, but more importantly, you may have missed another great role!

The turnaround time for employers nowadays can take months, with several rounds of interviews, reference checks, and so forth. Almost 30% of jobs are often never filled. So, once you’ve started your job search, keep it going until you have the offer in your hand!

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Never give up. No matter how difficult your job search may seem, or the number of rejections you receive, it’s important to never give up. Remember your worth and remember your dream job is around the corner. Patience, persistence, and determination will get you there. The entire team at ConnektUs is cheering you on and here to support you should you ever need it! Get excited for the journey to come, because it’s going to be an exciting one!