Rising Above the Noise: How to Stand Out in Today's Crowded Job Market
So you’ve made the big decision to start looking for a new job. Congratulations! It’s a big step. And not to rain on this big news, but do you know how you will stand out amongst the 10.7 million other people looking for a job right now? I know, it’s a crazy big number and the competition will be high! But don’t worry, my friend, I got you.
Here are a few things to focus on to make sure that you are standing out:
CREATE A KILLER RESUME
If you are applying online, your resume needs to A) get through the ATS (aka bots) and B) catch the recruiter's attention. And I don’t mean catching their attention with fancy fonts, colors, and graphs. No. Your resume should highlight what and how you do what you do to make an impact on the organization. Also known as solving the problem of the job.
To do this, you are going to want to customize your resume based on the job you are applying for. This is more than just adding a few keywords that are listed in the job description. This means thinking about what the job needs (the problem) and then demonstrating those skills through stories that are going to show that you are the right person for the job. This does include quantifying your impact. Remember that the person reading your resume doesn’t know you, so you have to connect the dots between what you have done to what they need.
OPTIMIZE YOUR LINKEDIN
If used correctly, LinkedIn can be one of your most valuable tools during a job search. Recruiters spend countless hours scouring LinkedIn in search of the perfect candidate. Whether it is based on skills, past experiences, or achievements. So whether you are applying for jobs or being recruited for a job, LinkedIn is where it’s at.
If you are short on time, here are three things you can do to make sure your profile is optimized:
Make sure everything is updated and correct. This includes your work experience, your education, volunteer experience, certifications, and so on.
Demonstrate that you are not a bot by having a great headshot, a value-based banner image, and a customized headline highlighting skills or value.
Make sure your skills sections are updated and targeted toward the job that you want. LinkedIn will pull from this section to show that you are “qualified” whether through a recruiter search or a LinkedIn application.
If you have more time, focus on answering the question, “Who are you?” Your resume will show what you do so your profile is the opportunity to highlight the human being behind all the facts and figures so don’t be scared to show your personality. This leads to my next point…
SHARE WHO YOU ARE
A company is not only hiring your skills and experiences, but they are also hiring the human behind the resume. Showing up as you, genuine, authentic you, letting your personality shine is what will make you stand out among all the other candidates.
You don’t have to sound like a robot on the profile so use conversational language. Include information about what you like to do outside of work to create opportunities to connect with others (think going for the “Oh my gosh! I have a doodle too!” type connection). Highlighting what makes you uniquely you will attract more aligned opportunities and connections and make you stand out amongst the crowd.
Just remember this. You are so, so, SO much more than your resume. You are a whole person with a life, interests, and unique characteristics. Own that!
OUTREACH & NETWORKING
Let me break this down for you. The average online job gets between 200-500 applications which means your odds, at best, are 1:200. Granted, I’m not much of a betting person, but those odds sound unwinnable! This is what I also call a reactive job search. Waiting until a company posts a job and you “react” to it by applying.
But when you proactively position yourself, you will be much more successful.
Start with outreach. Who do you know? This includes friends, family members, people that you previously worked with, heck, even people who you used to go to school with! Make a list of everyone you know and evaluate them based on what they do, where they work, who they know, etc., and then reach out! Catch up with them, learn what they are doing, share what you are doing, and so on. When you are intentional here, you can find gold!
Then, expand your reach through networking. Who do you want to know? Find people who are working in the job you want, in your ideal companies, or are players in the industry that you are targeting. Reach out and learn more about them and their journeys. Conduct informational interviews to learn more and the key here… BUILD RELATIONSHIPS!
The bottom line here, you must get creative in your job search to stand out. Think outside of the traditional online application box and create the opportunities you want.
If you need any help with any part of your job search, let’s chat! Schedule a free consultation call here.