In the current unemployment climate, where 45.7 million Americans have filed for unemployment during the Covid-19 pandemic, it is increasingly tough for one to find a job and much less a good one
Availability of jobs have shrunk, companies have "trimmed the fat" and have leaned themselves out. Roles that previously required a group of four are now being done by a duo. With redundancies on an upward trend and profit margins shrinking, it has been arguably the worst financial landscape and in such a difficult time, can you blame organizations?
But the result is that you end up having highly skilled professionals who are newly unemployed vying for all these limited jobs. SO how can you stand out? How do you highlight your visibility to recruiters?
Here are 5 ways you can do exactly that:
1) Have a streamlined online presence
Many a times, companies will do an online background check on applicants, in fact many application processes start off by you providing your Linkedin Url. Ensure that your profile is complete and that you are moderately active on the platform (try to post or share at least once a day)
Share posts that highlight your professional passions to any prospective employers that may be snooping around. You want to be certain that your profile reflects your professional ambitions.
Be mindful of your other more personal social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook etc). Often times, we forget who's watching and that certain things we post or share can come back to haunt us.
If you leave your profile available for public viewing, you have to assume that your profile is something your prospective employer will see. Thus, it is either you ensure that the profile is squeaky clean or you private your accounts.
2) Identify YOUR unique selling point
What makes you stand out from a mountain of other applicants? Most of them are likely to be as qualified as you with the necessary referees. You need to identify a particular desirable skillset that you have that will separate you from the crowd. It can range from possessing excellent interpersonal and leadership skills to having worked at a similar organization in the past.
Pretend that you are a salesman and are trying to convince the organization to hire you. You are trying to sell your qualities to the interviewer and must capitalise on your unique selling point. Find it, then MAGNIFY it.
3) Take on more responsibilities
An individual who is keen to take on more responsibilities is always a good sign, it signals that one is eager to grow and help the organization that they are with. Doing so will bode well for your current job and also makes for a sparking CV.
It also shows that you are ready for a more challenging role and perhaps even leadership positions if you step up to the plate. Such initiative will be taken note of by your organization and will be reflected in your CV if you wish to apply for a new job.
However, it is important to ask for opportunities in the right areas, where you feel like you could value-add and not where you are out of your depth.
4) Improve social skills
First of all, remember that an interview is merely a conversation between individuals. The key is to treat it like a regular conversation that you would have in an every day setting. You want to appear relaxed yet confident, comfortable yet serious. It is a tough skill to master but knowing what you need to achieve will certainly help.
Social skills are also important as people of superior social skills are always more likely to attract attention and be more desirable. You want to be someone who draws crowds and holds attention.This applies to headhunters and interviewers as well. They want people who are able to mix well in a group dynamic and superior social skills definitely go a long way.
5) Gain real-world experience
Now, this is arguably more for students who have learnt their craft from the comforts of a classroom. The real-world and the classroom differ greatly and you will soon find out that right and wrong may not be as binary as you initially thought.
Historically, people with real-world experience deal with obstacles with a tinge of practicality as compared to students who tend to view the world through an idealistic prism.
Internships and Contract Jobs can be hugely important in your career development. Try multiple jobs of varying scopes that will bolster your resume and allow you to experience various jobs at a comfortable pace. Collecting such experience under your belt will allow you to be a more well-rounded professional, understanding the perspectives of multiple people can be an extremely useful tool.
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