Employers are receiving mountains of resumes for every job opening. So, even if you’re qualified for the job, you might never receive a call back from the employer. When traditional methods fail, job seekers must look at alternative methods of standing out in order to land an interview.
What is one great way for job seekers to stand out during the application process?
Use the Power of Video Resumes to Get Noticed
With high unemployment there are more job seekers on the prowl for great opportunities. How can you stand out from the pack? Sending an employer a video resume is a great way to set yourself apart. On video you can forge a more personal connection with hiring managers faster than in the traditional process, while also showing off your communication skills. Besides, since recruiters only give the traditional resume a six second look-over and the normal video resume is about 60 seconds, you’re getting ten times more attention.
— Josh Tolan, Spark Hire
Stop Reciting What You Have Done; Tell Recruiters What You Can Do
At some point, word will get out that successful candidates tell a story about what they can do, rather than talking about what they did. Tell a story. Be unique. Think “marketing”! If Coca-Cola used only their ingredient list in commercials, do you think anyone would buy their product? People buy “refreshing” and the “real thing.” In your application, you have to sell something more… your potential, your passion, and your ability to help solve the problem faced by the employer with this hire.
— Mark Babbitt, YouTern
Brand Your Way To The Top: Use Your Personal Brand to Stand Out In The Job Hunt
The best way for job seekers to stand out during the application process is to use their personal brand. Present polished, consistent material from the very beginning of the application process. This includes a cover letter addressed directly to the hiring manager and tailored to the company — hiring managers will appreciate the effort and research right off the bat. Make being detail-oriented a key point of your personal brand and then really pay attention to details throughout the application process.
— Afifa Siddiqui , Careerleaf
Be Honest
Job seekers need to be honest about what their true intentions and ambitions are. If you are honest about what you want and what you can bring to the table, you will be much more confident in what you say and how you carry yourself. Not to mention, if you are hired, you will be glad that you did not compromise on what you stand for and how you will carry yourself on the job.
— Ryan O’Connell, Digital Talent Agents
Take the Untraditional Route to Standing Out
Integrate non-traditional elements into their submission. Simply having a resume and cover letter won’t make you stand out in a sea of applicants. Job seekers should record video resumes to showcase personality. They can then integrate this element into the application by providing links to the video resume or including it as a file during the submission process.
— Sudy Bharadwaj, Jackalope Jobs
Every Little Detail is Magic
Applicants often will want to take shortcuts to questions because some questions seem redundant. There must be a reboot or refresh button in your mind to filling out each application in its entirety. That is the first impression that an employer experiences of you as the job candidate who can carry out 100 percent of the instruction. Following up is also a must for each application filled out.
— Mark Anthony Dyson, Competitive Resumes
Write Efficiently: Focus on Content and Style, Not Grammar and Spelling
Written communication is a key consideration in hiring. Job seekers need to be sure that all of their written communication to potential employers is flawless. Spelling and grammar issues should be non-existent, and job seekers should be focusing on the content and style of their communication as a point of differentiation from other candidates.
— Brad Hoover, Grammarly
Tell the Potential Employer Why You are Perfect for the Position and What Specifically Differentiates You From the Rest of the Applicants
Add an executive summary to your résumé. Having your personal brand clearly outlined in the first half page of your résumé can truly make you stand out. Take the time to tailor your summary to each job you are applying to. Concisely but powerfully tell the employer why you are the perfect person for the job and your phone may just start ringing with interview opportunities.
— Shawnice Meador, MBA@UNC
Stand Alone
A polished resume, or even a specially formatted one is becoming increasingly crucial. When reading through applications, text starts to drag and bleed together. Anything you can do to add a punch, some pizazz or flavor, might just go a long way.
— Adam Itkoff, Fueled
Stand Out By Learning What’s Important To The Company You’re Applying To
Research and know as much as you can about the company and position you are applying for. Understand what the company does, and also what they care about and what makes they who they are. Knowing about their recent achievements will make you stand out. It also allows for you to ask the best questions during your interview to get know them even better and help th
em remember you.
— Brittany Jackson, AJobs.com
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