In the era of job hunting online, you don’t just have to stand out in a job interview, you have to stand out virtually too. Because if you don’t show that you’re better than the other candidates from the very first moment, you’ll never make it to the face-to-face interview.
Here are some tips on how to shine throughout the job search process, according to Amy Levin-Epstein for CBS News.
1. Sell yourself as the solution
The first step is to identify what the company needs, by reading the job description carefully and doing a little research into the sector the company operates in.
Then, as job interview expert Heather McNab advises, start competing for the job from the outset, focusing both your résumé and your interview on selling yourself as the solution for the company.
“Focusing the whole hiring process on the company’s needs, not on yours, is the key.”
See also: What the perfect résumé looks like today
2. Lean on quick stories
Showing rather than telling is a great way to stand out from the competition, and it’s especially useful for shy candidates. “Bring a presentation brochure that matches your experience and strengths to the employer’s problems and challenges,” says Ford R. Myers, author of Get the Job You Want. “Use that brochure to give the interviewer a high-impact presentation.”
3. Act as if you already had the job
You should act more like a consultant, rather than keeping your fingers crossed and hoping they hire you. Once the interview is in full swing, the first question you should ask is: “How can I help?”, says Myers.
That short phrase changes the whole dynamic of the interview. Body language is another key part of this tactic. “Don’t sit nervously in the interview with your hands folded in your lap, waiting for the tough questions. Instead, lean forward and get ready to take notes and engage in a lively dialogue,” Myers suggests.
4. Follow up with details
After the interview, writing a thank-you note is an excellent start, but include details that really make you shine. In that note, try to address how you could help solve any challenge the hiring manager mentioned during the interview.
“Consider sending the hiring manager a link or another resource that reinforces the key points you made during the interview or that expands on the conversation,” says Louise Kursmark, founder of Best Impression Career Services.
Further reading
- 3 unconscious interviewer biases that affect whether you get hired
- 6 tips for acing a job interview, explained by Google’s director of operations
- 3 things you need to know about your personality type and your career
Featured image: U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Deziree Keay, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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