5 Steps to Stand Out in a Crowded Job Market

The employment market is about to get crowded with job seekers. The numbers are sobering – according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in March unemployment rates rose among all major worker groups, and over the last couple months over 26 million Americans have lost their jobs. The numbers will likely worsen before they improve, and while many prognostications are being made nobody really knows when and how the economy will rebound. You should prepare to stand out from the crowd. Here are five steps you can take today.

Step 1: Maximize Your Resume

A massive surge in resumes means recruiters and hiring managers will use stricter standards to separate the wheat from the chaff. Make sure your resume is:

·      A professional story with you as its hero. Make yourself shine by ensuring it is accomplishment and metric driven.

·      An eye-catching, but not gimmicky, modern design.

·      Properly formatted and free of typos, misspelled words, and grammatical errors.

·      Paired with a cover letter that focuses on the value you will bring to your next employer. Spell out your value proposition and your aspirations for the future.

·      Tweaked to particular roles you apply to, in order to ensure it has the right keywords to navigate employer Applicant Tracking Systems (resume databases).

 

Step 2: Your LinkedIn Profile

You need to be active on as many fronts as possible. Don’t just update your LinkedIn profile (and create one if you don’t one already!) – polish it.

·      You must have a recent professional-looking profile photo. It’s your first impression.

·      If you’re unemployed, your Headline and Summary should indicate you are actively pursuing new opportunities.

·      Update your work experience to include your last position.

·      Show off your most impactful achievements and the progression of your career.

·      Polish the content and verbiage of your profile.

 

Step 3: Your Approach

You have no choice but to try harder. Here’s some additional steps you can take to get noticed.

·      Leverage your network. You may get your next job through someone you already know.

·      Don’t just apply online. Make the extra effort to identify the hiring manger and send a personalized note to them.

·      While not the exclusive source you should use, LinkedIn is a great research tool to source recruiter and hiring manager names by company.

·      LinkedIn Premium gives you the advantage of sending a limited number of InMails per month to recruiters and hiring managers who have posted jobs. It is worth the investment if you have the resources.

 

 

Step 4:  Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

Throughout each step of the job search process, do your best to accommodate the recruiters and/or hiring managers. They have never dealt with something like our current situation either. For example: 

·      In phone screens, or Zoom interviews, be as personable as you can. Be energetic and positive.

·      Be flexible when scheduling interviews, and adapt to whatever format in which the interview will take place. Being a team player during challenging circumstances should help you stand out from the crowd.

·      Salary negotiations are tricky when the job market is so crowded.

o   Companies need to keep costs as low as possible, which puts you at risk of underpricing or overpricing yourself in the discussion.

o   Push salary as late in the conversation as possible.

o   Focus on the job. Emphasize that your primary concern is finding a role at a great company in which you can grow and develop, and that salary is a secondary consideration.

 

Step 5: Thank You Notes

Send a thank you email and a traditional thank you note – both handwritten and through the regular mail. People will remember the extra touch (you’d be surprised how few people bother to do this).

Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercareerstrategies.com.