Earlier this year, research by iCIMS showed that on average every UK job opening was receiving 43 applications – over 40% more than a year before. If you\u2019re applying for a role, it most likely is a logical progression from your previous experience and utilises your specific knowledge \u2013 which means both of those things will also be true of most of the candidates you\u2019re up against. With fierce competition for roles, how can you make sure that you stand out from a field of applicants who have a similar career history and skill set?<\/p>\n
1. Research & React<\/strong><\/p>\n Learn all that you can about the company, the role and the current market \u2013 and then put that into practice. Customise your CV to highlight and focus on the skills and knowledge that will be most relevant for your new position and employer. Formulate questions to ask in the interview that go beyond the information you\u2019ve been able to find publicly or gleam from the job description \u2013 demonstrating that you\u2019ve already learned all you can about your potential employer. A quick search of the web and a glance at their homepage isn\u2019t going to be enough here \u2013 putting time and effort into building knowledge and putting into practice will make it clear that you care about and are invested in this job opportunity.<\/p>\n 2. Keep It Specific<\/strong><\/p>\n And while you\u2019re tweaking that CV to bring out the relevant details \u2013 see if you can tighten it up and make it as specific as possible. Everyone applying for your targeted role is going to include a mention that they\u2019re a good collaborator who works well in a team \u2013 but if you add in a specific example of a project where you harnessed the skills and knowledge of colleagues that differ from yours, that immediately makes a stronger case for you as a candidate. Try to do this for each of your key qualities throughout your CV; think about specific scenarios you can cite, not just having each of the right keywords in your resume.<\/p>\n 3. Build a Better Footprint \u2013 Share Knowledge<\/strong><\/p>\n Your hiring manger is going to Google you \u2013 this is a given, and I think candidates in our sector are already aware of this and will make sure not to have anything embarrassing visible on public social media that might be off-putting to an employer. What can really help you stand out though is taking the next step and creating a positive search footprint \u2013 the easiest way to do this is to make regular LinkedIn posts sharing your knowledge and thoughts on industry topics. Assume that your LinkedIn is going to be looked at, and make sure that when it is they don\u2019t just see a thorough job history but also recent posts from you demonstrating that you really understand and care about your work and your sector.<\/p>\n 4. Communicate<\/strong><\/p>\n Keeping communication open and frequent throughout the hiring process is vital, especially when you\u2019re up against similar candidates. If you and someone else with a near identical CV both have a good first interview, but only you send a follow-up thank you e-mail, you\u2019re going to stand out. Keep messages like this concise, but not generic \u2013 reference something specific that was discussed in the interview, maybe include a link to something you\u2019ve written or share a relevant past piece of work that was talked about. Keep the tone warm but professional and use the opportunity to keep yourself at the forefront of the hiring managers mind as someone who is really enthusiastic about this opportunity.<\/p>\n