Despite there being a labor shortage in the US right now, approximately 1.4 million fewer people are working than in pre-pandemic times; the job market remains competitive, with the US having had its strongest labor market for 50 years.
But around 70% of job hunters say finding a job now is more difficult than ever, and competition remains fierce across the board.
So, with it taking the average applicant around 100 to 200 applications before getting a single job offer, how can you make yourself stand out?
Get Creative
The average HR consultant spends around 10 seconds looking at each resume they receive, meaning you need to make those 10 seconds count in your favor. Get creative with how you present your career history and know how to quantify resume accomplishments so your achievements stand out rather than fade into the pile of rejections.
Research The Company
It goes without saying that you need to research the company and know exactly what they are looking for so you can include all the relevant information in your cover letter and your CV. Your CV should not be endless but relevant to the position you are aiming for, so knowing more about the company and what they are looking for in potential hires can allow you to tailor your approach and give them the information they are looking for. Plus, If you do get an interview, this will put you one step ahead as you will be prepared.
Don’t Ignore The Cover Letter
Your cover letter is how you represent yourself to the company and is your way to show recruiters who you are and how suitable you are for the role. Under no circumstances should you use the same cover letter for all of your applications; instead, tailor it to the company you are applying to show your enthusiasm for the role and your qualifications, too.
Doing a few drafts to help you tweak the content before you send it out can be a good idea. Write down a rough edit. Then, come back to it a few hours later or the next day and edit it. It might be that you think of something else to add, find a more appropriate way of phrasing something, or decide to remove any details. Avoid sending your first draft as the final copy.
Practice What You Want To Say
You should always prepare for an interview and know exactly how best to present yourself, but you should also spend some time running through the types of questions you can expect to have to answer and your replies. Run through some phrases in your head and challenge yourself to answer those awkward questions interviewers always like to ask and practice your “waiting behaviors” too. This is the time you are waiting for your interview to start or for the interviewer to come to the room to meet you. What will your potential employer be looking for in your behavior? While wasting time on your phone is the easy option, it might not present you in the best light, so practice some behaviors you can demonstrate or chit-chat to help you pass the time and give it a better impression of who you are and that you are serious about the job.