Insider

Going above and beyond to get your dream job always pays off. Regardless of your skills and experience, see below 5 tips that you need to know from our very own JV Recruitment consultants on how you can stand out from the crowd. Recommendations In an increasingly competitive job market, a recommendation letter from a senior staff member or industry leader can go a long way. This is a great way to verify your skills and abilities, and reveal how you are valued in your network. For example; in a previous position, you may have rolled out a new software system or managed a specific project. Why not get a recommendation from your boss about how seamless and successful this was? If letters aren’t your thing, get your current boss, colleague, client or others your job network to write a recommendation for you on Linkedin. Employers will often go straight to your Linkedin profile as soon as they receive your resume. Positive endorsements are a great way to impress an employer! Be socially savvy Speaking of Linkedin, make sure your Linkedin profile is up-to-date. According to research conducted by CareerBuilder, 7 in 10 employers admit to using social media such as Linkedin to screen potential candidates. This is your way to gain credibility so don’t be invisible. Ensure your profile is public, have a professional profile picture and spend some time on your headline describing your value to the job market. This is your time to shine and validate key details/buzzwords that are on your resume. Research, Research, Research This one seems obvious, but so many candidates don’t do this enough. At the absolute minimum, make sure you go to the company website before sending through your resume. This is your chance to work out whether you are the right fit for the company and determine if your values align with theirs. Your extensive research will give you a much better chance of wowing the interviewer and help you devise intelligent questions to ask during the phone screening or interview phase. It will show the interviewer that you have put some thought into the role. Send a message A small gesture like sending an email after an interview to say thanks, can go a long way. It is a great way to wrap up an interview and is always fondly looked upon to show that you appreciate the interviewers time and consideration. This is also your time to show that you learnt something from the interview about the organisation. My advice – keep this email short and to the point. Demonstrate your fit, not just your experience At all stages of the recruitment process, make sure you acknowledge why you will fit well into the culture of the company. When there is a seamless alignment of values in the workplace, life becomes easy. Employees will be open to communicate with each other, be happy to cross-train and speak up about questions, concerns and process improvements. The interviewer/employer will make it their top priority to ensure new employees have the same or similar values to those of the company, so communicate these values clearly in your resume and in the interview phase.