When you are looking for a job, what is the first thing you MUST ask yourself?
How will I DIFFERENTIATE myself from all the rest. When you apply for a job, you are NOT the only one. Make no mistake – the competition will always be stiff and that will always present a challenge for both you and the hiring community. After all, ultimately, they will make a decision. And, that determination will be based on a few things. The obvious is that you fit. You meet the criteria necessary to do the job and match most, if not all the requirements detailed in the job description. Your resume will do most of the talking at first. That’s your first point of contact, so it NEEDS to speak well and be on point. It must engage the hiring manager in a way that says – HEY I CAN DO THIS and I CAN DO IT WELL!!!!!
So, what will separate you from the rest? What will you bring to them – What is your added value? Can you be something that brings a FRESH perspective – Something NEW? Can you be extraordinary – Can you break away from the other resumes on my desk? If so, I am interested in moving forward. If not, I can move on to the next candidate, and if I do – you are out.
Before you apply for that job, begin to imagine yourself in their world. What will make you STAND OUT? Project, in your resume and cover letter those ‘things’ that provide an edge. What will attract more attention to you? It’s not about being unconventional, although sometimes that can be interpreted in a way that DOES separate you from others; it’s more about something DISTICTIVE about you. What is your alignment with the company you are interested in, and how will it help them become a better, more successful place?
What UNIQUE qualities to you have that will, in fact separate you from the rest?
If you can present yourself with the message that AMPLIFIES YOUR ACOMPLISHMENTS, you will definitely make an impression and STAND OUT.
Don’t do it differently – THINK differently.
