How to Become the Best Job Candidate
Increase the Chances of Landing the Perfect Employment Opportunity
Oct 21, 2009
Finding a job can be tough these days. Tons of competition from the crowds of laid-off workers or going head-to-head against new college graduates can tire job seekers out. That means it is important for job seekers to ensure they are the candidate of choice by stepping up and standing out.
Be Aware of What’s Going on in the Industry
A job search isn’t just about the openings that job seekers know about. It’s about the things that are going on inside an organization that may result in new opportunities.
Sometimes companies don’t advertise. It’s not that they don’t want to, it just may be that they haven’t taken the time to put their candidate search in motion. By being aware of what is going on the industry in general as well as at different individual firms, job seekers can have a leg up on the competition.
Read something in the local newspaper or neighborhood freebie about a company’s new contracts? Know someone who works at that company? Now would be the time to make a call and find out how that impacts their hiring strategy.
By being there first, job seekers can gain an advantage. Knowledge of economic and industry changes communicates someone who is alert, strategic, and forward-thinking.
Make Sure to Have a Marketing Strategy
Job seekers must know by now that a large part of getting the job is about who has the ability to sell themselves as the candidate of choice. Short of a trial run, there really is no way for an employer to be sure that who they hire is the perfect match. That means it is a job seeker’s responsibility for showing that they are the one.
Without coming off as overly egotistic, job seekers need to sell themselves by pointing out to employers what it is they can bring to the table that other candidates cannot. Therefore it is important for them to really understand what education, experience or skills they have that sets them apart from the pack.
It's not about hype or overselling. It's about pointing out special technical skills, unusual work or educational experiences or anything else that might be unique to them. In addition, showing enthusiasm and a focused interest in the company and position will help to sell them as the candidate of choice.
Connect With Important People
It cannot be repeated often enough the importance of networking. Getting to know people is the best way to get to know where the jobs are; often before anyone else. In fact, it might be interesting to know how many times – especially in smaller, owner-run organizations – unexpected job openings have been filled when a current employee refers a friend.
And getting to know people in a more socialized environment rather than in the near-clinical atmosphere of an interview can add a whole new dimension to who they really are. When job seekers connect with people in professional associations, at conventions and trade shows, or even over cocktails at a dinner party, they can let their real strengths shine through. Or why not try an informational interview as a way to make a connection?
The whole idea is that job seekers have to begin to see themselves as someone special and then communicate this to employers. That is the best way to become the best job candidate.
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