Job Seeker Dont Do What Everybody Else Does!

Job Seeker Dont Do What Everybody Else Does! ShareShare In job search, this herd mentality can be a big mistake. The average corporate job opening attracts 250 applicants, according to a Glassdoor study. One obvious conclusion is: if youre looking for a job, you need to stand out from the competition. You dont need to be like the others. You need to be different. Not weird, but smarter, more noticeable, more memorable. So here are a few ways you might want to stop following the herd and dare to stand out. Be Different Stand Out in Job Search Understand that we live in an increasingly review-driven society and theres great power in social proof. Think of yourself as a product and get reviews: LinkedIn recommendations, letters, kudos. Then dont be shy about these testimonials: use them in your resume, your LinkedIn About section and your cover letter. You could even mention one as evidence for something you say about yourself in an interview. Speaking of resumes, there are resume rules you should absolutely never break, like actually, I cant think of any. You might be surprised what you can put on a resume. Having trouble getting a word with a hiring manager or other key contact? How about sending them an @message on Twitter? How many other candidates will do that? Follow up more than once after interviews, not to pester the employer for a decision but to continue the conversation. Assume other people have filled out their LinkedIn profiles all wrong. They have. Look through your friends and colleagues LinkedIn profiles and youll see short, LinkedIn-generated Professional Headlines (the line under the persons name) with only job title and company; brief About sections of maybe two paragraphs; jobs listed without descriptions, and few or no Recommendations. None of these are best practices for your LinkedIn profile. When you do apply to jobs, send your resume to the hiring manager, not just to human resources. How many other candidates will do that? Better yet, have a contact inside the company forward your resume to that manager. How do you get contacts like that? Read the last tip in this post. To stand out even more, follow up with a well-thought out follow-up call. Last but certainly not least: Instead of focusing your search on applying to posted openings (along with an average of 250 other people), be different: make a good-sized list of companies youd like to work for and start getting to know those companies and their people now, even if they dont have an opening for you yet. But arent these strategies risky? Yes, they do involve risk. Theres a fine line between assertive and inappropriate, youll need to use your good judgment, and the results might not always be good. Remember, though, success depends on taking calculated risks. Find smart, credible ways to stand out in your job search and get a great job sooner. Job Seeker Dont Do What Everybody Else Does! ShareShare In job search, this herd mentality can be a big mistake. The average corporate job opening attracts 250 applicants, according to a Glassdoor study. One obvious conclusion is: if youre looking for a job, you need to stand out from the competition. You dont need to be like the others. You need to be different. Not weird, but smarter, more noticeable, more memorable. So here are a few ways you might want to stop following the herd and dare to stand out. Be Different Stand Out in Job Search Understand that we live in an increasingly review-driven society and theres great power in social proof. Think of yourself as a product and get reviews: LinkedIn recommendations, letters, kudos. Then dont be shy about these testimonials: use them in your resume, your LinkedIn About section and your cover letter. You could even mention one as evidence for something you say about yourself in an interview. Speaking of resumes, there are resume rules you should absolutely never break, like actually, I cant think of any. You might be surprised what you can put on a resume. Having trouble getting a word with a hiring manager or other key contact? How about sending them an @message on Twitter? How many other candidates will do that? Follow up more than once after interviews, not to pester the employer for a decision but to continue the conversation. Assume other people have filled out their LinkedIn profiles all wrong. They have. Look through your friends and colleagues LinkedIn profiles and youll see short, LinkedIn-generated Professional Headlines (the line under the persons name) with only job title and company; brief About sections of maybe two paragraphs; jobs listed without descriptions, and few or no Recommendations. None of these are best practices for your LinkedIn profile. When you do apply to jobs, send your resume to the hiring manager, not just to human resources. How many other candidates will do that? Better yet, have a contact inside the company forward your resume to that manager. How do you get contacts like that? Read the last tip in this post. To stand out even more, follow up with a well-thought out follow-up call. Last but certainly not least: Instead of focusing your search on applying to posted openings (along with an average of 250 other people), be different: make a good-sized list of companies youd like to work for and start getting to know those companies and their people now, even if they dont have an opening for you yet. But arent these strategies risky? Yes, they do involve risk. Theres a fine line between assertive and inappropriate, youll need to use your good judgment, and the results might not always be good. Remember, though, success depends on taking calculated risks. Find smart, credible ways to stand out in your job search and get a great job sooner.