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How Can You Differentiate Yourself From Other Candidates?

When companies hire, the more memorable candidate often receives the job offer. How can you stand out from the crowd? Here are four ways to highlight both your strengths and your individuality.

Sell Your Soft Skills

Organizations are looking for well-rounded employees with transferable skills. Soft or people skills often distinguish one candidate from another. Many applicants talk about their soft skills; however, take your game to the next level by showing rather than telling. Use specific examples to illustrate your experiences on both your resume and in your responses to interview questions. For instance, “Successfully coordinated and led a three-month on-site research project with 100 participants,” is more meaningful and noteworthy than a generic statement like, “Great communication and leadership skills.” In addition, put your soft skills into action during interviews. Dress well, arrive on time, be responsive, smile, show confidence, interact politely with everyone you meet and pay attention to details.

Show Enthusiasm

Engaged employees bring more value to an organization. Therefore, applicants who seem halfhearted during the interview stage probably won’t advance. Start by applying to positions in which you are genuinely interested and act excited when you land an interview. To further display your passion as well as your strong work ethic, research the company ahead of time. Find information through corporate websites and social media channels and/or use your network to make connections. By doing your homework, you can ask well-informed questions and have more meaningful conversations. Finally, leave the interview committee with the impression you want this job without, of course, seeming overly desperate.

Write Thank-You Notes

Although most job seekers know they should send thank-you notes, very few follow through. This is another opportunity to set yourself apart from other applicants, as a simple letter of gratitude can have a big payoff. Consider the benefits. Thank-you notes 1) show your good manners; 2) remind the interviewer who you are; 3) provide an opportunity to express your ongoing interest; and 4) allow you to re-highlight your skills. To learn more about writing effective notes, read our blog post Five Types of Follow-Up Emails to Send After a Job Interview.

Create a Personal Brand

Resumes, application materials and even interviews can be limiting. After all, you probably have many talents to display. Fortunately, you can use an online presence to build a personal brand. A brand can further reflect your personality, emphasize your interests and goals, and provide platforms to showcase examples of your work. A personal website is one option. However, if this seems too ambitious or you doubt your technical skills, consider using established social media channels such as LinkedIn for networking, WordPress for blogging, or Pinterest or Instagram for graphics and photography.

Are you looking for more tips on landing your perfect position? Aventure Staffing is here for you! Our job-seeker advocates offer free advice and industry insights to anyone looking for employment. Search our list of available jobs and let us help you find your next opportunity today!

2 thoughts on “How Can You Differentiate Yourself From Other Candidates?

  1. “Brilliant read!
    You have hit home regarding agencies being “full-service”, it’s always about offering all that the client needs. Most clients contract work to people they are most comfortable with, so when you have a relationship in place and when they have requests outside your core area, one tends to get it done through partners(outsource). In the short run, it feels good with the extra work flowing in… but in the long run, it does hamper focused growth to being a niche “superstar””

  2. “Brilliant read!
    You have hit home regarding agencies being “full-service”, it’s always about offering all that the client needs. Most clients contract work to people they are most comfortable with, so when you have a relationship in place and when they have requests outside your core area, one tends to get it done through partners(outsource). In the short run, it feels good with the extra work flowing in… but in the long run, it does hamper focused growth to being a niche “superstar””

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