6 Creative Ways to Stand Out in the Job Search!

By Peggy McKee

Can’t get an interview?

Can’t get past the first interview?

Are you demonstrating the levels of commitment, drive, tenacity, skills and organization employers want?

Here are 6 tried and true ways to separate you from other candidates and be the candidate everyone wants to hire:

1.  Preparation = SWOT Analysis:

SWOT is a strategic planning tool.  It stands for Strengths (attributes helpful to achieving the objective), Weaknesses (attributes harmful to achieving the objective), Opportunities (external conditions that will be helpful to achieving the objective), and Threats (external obstacles or conditions that will harm the process).  Look at the picture–it helps.  Doing a SWOT analysis on the company demonstrates your drive, commitment, and skills, along with helping you create a better 30/60/90-day plan.   Click here for advice on how to do one and avoid mistakes.

2.  30/60/90-Day Plan :

A 30-60-90-day plan is a short, 1-3 page outline for what you will do when you start the job.  Essentially, you spell out for your future employer, in as little or as much detail as necessary, how you will spend your time–in training, learning company systems, introducing yourself to customers, and your initial plan to build sales.  It demonstrates exactly how you’ll be an asset.  A 30/60/90-day plan is an almost-guaranteed way to impress any hiring manager or hiring team.If you absolutely can’t get an interview, you could try e-mailing your 30/60/90-day plan to the sales manager.  It’s an attention-getter, and it could be the key to get you in the door.

3.  Video or Audio Communication:

Send the interviewer an audio of video clip of yourself.  Keep it short and sweet, and make sure you’ve checked lighting, background, and sound quality.  One idea:  Structure it like an elevator pitch–what can you do for the company and why can you do it?

4.  Brag Book :

A brag book is a folder/ binder that you can use during your interview process to clarify your skill sets.  It can include letters of recommendation, “attaboy” notes (or any notes commenting on what a good job you’ve done), staff ranking, annual reviews (if you include some, include them all), rewards letters, your resume, types of equipment you’ve used or marketed, certifications or other educational courses, any financial or PowerPoint presentations, copies of articles you’ve written, brochures you’ve helped develop, and a college transcript (though ONLY if you’re just getting out).  Here’s a link to a video that explains more.

5.  References :

It’s critical that you have winning references.  Some people believe that references never get called, but they do.  You should know how to choose a good reference, and know with stake-your-job-on-it certainty what they will say about you.  You can (and should) even coach them beforehand, to help them tailor their answers to the job.

6.  Follow-up/Thank You Notes :

Don’t underestimate how important thank you letters are in the job interview process.  Everybody “knows” they’re critical, but unbelievably, not everyone writes them.  Thank you letters accomplish several things:

• They get your name in front of the hiring manager one more time.
• They are your last chance to package yourself as the best, most qualified person for the job.
• They are polite, and manners count. 
• They can be an example of your ability to take in information (the interview) and process and provide feedback or new ideas about whatever the problem was. For example:  “I thought about your concerns about how to handle xyz delivery issues, when I was a product manager at ABC corporation, we used………”

(See what I mean?)

Handwritten thank-yous are nice, but e-mail thank yous are fast.  Sometimes, hiring decisions are made quickly, so a timely note can be critical.

I know these things will help you become an outstanding candidate!

If you need more personalized help, please see my custom consulting page.  If you’re really having trouble, a fresh pair of expert eyes can point out issues or problems that are keeping you from getting the job you want.

Peggy McKee is the owner and founder of PHC Consulting, a medical sales recruiting firm well known for providing top candidates for sales, management, marketing, and technical support positions in the biotech, life science, laboratory, and diagnostics industries for the last 10 years.  In addition to placing candidates in some of the most prominent healthcare companies in the country, Peggy also provides custom career coaching to jobseekers in all areas of sales.

Comments

[brian]

Use all the Sources

All in all, the job search during the crisis preserves its basic features: “polish” your resume, perfect your resume skills and activate your connections. The latter is the most important. Do not rely only on Internet and recruiters. There are always some jobs in companies which are not proposed openly. Joe Turner, a 15-year experience recruiter, says that “In the majority of cases the suitable job is found namely due to the connections”.

You shouldn’t be embarrassed by the reason why you were laid off as you still have your professionalism and skills. If you were laid off because of the crisis, there’s nothing to be confused about. It wasn’t you who were laid off but the position you occupied. The only thing you’d better avoid in the interview is telling about the inappropriate behavior of your ex-employer. Negative information will hardly be welcome. If you want to secure yourself, you’d better get the references from your ex-employers and partners.

If you are not laid off, but think this can happen, you should be law-literate to see the procedure clearly and control how the employer carries out his/her commitments. Apart from this, refer to the staff management in the company you’re hired by as they can recommend you to some partnership organizations or recruiting agencies they collaborate with.