How to get noticed by the employer
The journey to employment is becoming increasingly competitive for both first-time employees and employees seeking to switch jobs. With the talent pool offering a great selection to recruiters and hiring managers alike, it is important for candidates to stand out amongst the pool of candidates applying to jobs.
Being qualified for the position
The first step to standing out in your job search is ensuring that your skills and qualifications match what is expected of you from the position. Whilst submitting multiple applications to various vacancies seems like a step in the right direction to increase your chances of securing an interview, you may gloss over the most important aspect of applying to jobs: ensuring that you are qualified for the position.
It is important for candidates to put careful thought and research in the application process. This means considering whether the company is right for you and whether or not the qualifications and skills that you have to offer are a right fit for each position that you apply to. In doing so, you will be able to better tailor your application to each position, thus showing the recruiter that you are a right fit which will, in turn, better your chances of being noticed by the recruiter.
Tailoring your application
The next step is to tailor your application to every position that you apply to. It is no longer enough to merely list out your qualifications and skills in a generic resume. Instead, it is imperative that your resume specifically reflects what you have to offer in relation to the position. First, consider the position that you are applying to and take into consideration the company as whole and tailor your application to that.
Putting down relevant examples in terms of your qualifications and competencies and elaborating on them will make your application stand out to employers. A way to do this is by using the STAR method, which is a four-part technique which encourages job seekers to give more detail about their work experience. The components of the STAR technique are Situation, Task, Action and Result, where in this four-step method, you state your roles and responsibilities (situation), highlight a problem you had to solve or a goal you worked towards in relation to a previous job situation (task), the steps you took to achieving it (action), and the result of said actions (result).
This will allow you to exhibit your knowledge and capabilities by using specific specific examples in your resume, and allows recruiters to understand how you will fit a certain position. Employing specific keywords in relation to the job requirements will also show the recruiter that you have done your research into the position you are applying for, and may increase the likelihood of your application being noticed.
Personal branding
Another aspect to increase your chances of being noticed by a recruiter is by branding yourself professionally. Recruiters may look at your online presence as part of the recruitment process, and this may influence a recruiter in both a positive and negative way. Therefore, it is important that you brand yourself online to stand out from the pool of candidates. One means to do this is by creating an online portfolio through professional networking sites such as LinkedIn.
Capitalise on this by providing an in-depth picture of who you are as a professional. The key to making the most of this is by making your profile compelling. Make sure you have a suitable professional photo as this will be the first thing a recruiter looks at. Next, ensure that your profile is complete by filling in a professional summary of yourself that not only highlights your current employment, but also includes the qualification and skills that you bring to a position as a professional. Being active and up to date on LinkedIn is also key: this may come in the form of sharing articles and posts related to your profession and industry, and including a short write-up of your opinion. The total of these actions will exhibit yourself compellingly to recruiters.
Creating connections and maximising them
A proactive step which can be taken as part of the application process is by creating a professional network with employers and recruiters online. You may do this by reaching out to recruiters and making connections with them. However, it is not enough to just make a connection by the mere action of adding them to your professional networking circle: candidates must take the proactive step of turning it into a lasting professional relationship.
Achieve this by striking a conversation with a potential employer or recruiter which relates to the work you have done or talking about the company, and how it relates to the abilities you have as a professional. The occasional message to these networks will also make your presence known to potential employers, and may create goodwill for yourself as a potential candidate for their company.
Cumulatively, the above steps will help you stand out to employers and recruiters in your job application process.
