you\u2019re also going head to head against lots of other qualified candidates, which can be a daunting prospect for even the most highly skilled job seekers! We\u2019ve all likely heard the news that another candidate has been selected for the role we\u2019re pursuing\u2014despite the fact that we may have tons of experience, coveted skills, aced the interview and felt confident about being a great fit. The reality is, there are lots of great applicants out there all competing for the same jobs, so it\u2019s up to each of us to make ourselves shine from the very start!<\/p>\n
Before you even have your first interaction with a recruiter, HR professional or hiring manager, there are a few quick and easy steps you can take to polish up your presentation and ensure you\u2019re putting your best foot forward into your next job.<\/p>\n
In this age of social media, it\u2019s easy to blend our personal and professional lives online. But if you\u2019re on the hunt for a new job, you may want to evaluate what your online profiles say about you, in case decision-makers at your next organization take a peek before offering you the position. Ensure your profile picture is professional, your \u201clikes\u201d are safe for work and your tweets, posts and more all are aligned with what you would want a future employer to know about you.<\/p>\n
If you haven\u2019t yet created a LinkedIn account, now is a great time to do so! And if you do have one, give it a quick refresh: Add your skills, details on all of your past positions and ask for endorsements from folks in your network.<\/p>\n
Both online and on paper, you should make sure your resume is well-rounded. While employers will certainly focus on your career history, don\u2019t forget to include all of your other experiences. Education, training, volunteer and extracurricular activities\u2014even if they\u2019re not seemingly related to the work you\u2019re doing now\u2014can all communicate your skills, from leadership to organization to time management.<\/p>\n
When you\u2019re trying to stand out from the crowd of candidates you\u2019re up against, get innovative! For instance, if you\u2019re pursuing a position for which creativity is a prime skill needed, put together a portfolio of writing, photography or other creative projects you\u2019ve worked on. If the role requires leadership ability, submit letters of recommendation from former supervisors before the employer even asks for them. Being forward-thinking like this can show a future employer that you\u2019re proactive and passionate\u2014both of which can benefit any workplace!<\/p>\n
Grabbing the attention of your employer early on in the application process is important, but you also have to work on making them remember you when you meet in person (or virtually). Enroll in an online interview prep course or even have family or friends conduct practice interviews with you to get prepared. The more practice you have, the more confident you\u2019ll be heading into the conversation\u2014and confident candidates have a definite leg up!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When you\u2019re searching for your next job, you\u2019re not just looking for an organization and a role that are a good fit\u2014 you\u2019re also going head to head against lots of other qualified candidates, which can be a daunting prospect for even the most highly skilled job seekers! We\u2019ve all likely heard the news that…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":15979,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11347","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-work-life"],"yoast_head":"\n