5 Clever Tips to Help You Stand Out Among Other Job Candidates

In an increasingly competitive job market, it is more important than ever to put a bigger spotlight on what makes you stand out among other candidates. Each person has their own unique set of qualities. How to get your resume noticed by employers boils down to how you package and present your own uniqueness in your job applications.

This means that, apart from making sure that you showcase your qualifications, you also now need to make your applications distinct in other ways. This does not have to be a daunting task. You do not need to do anything dramatic or outrageous to show what makes you stand out among other candidates.

There are simple things you can do to spice up your job applications to make it stand out among the crowd. Here are just some that you can do right now.

1. Establish a distinct online presence

We now live in a digital world where all of us are connected. Over the last few years, our digital presence has been almost as important as our physical one, with more and more capabilities being afforded to us through new developments in digital technology.

The job market has evolved in digital spaces as well, as jobseekers and hirers alike navigate new avenues online in search of more opportunities. With this in mind, you must have a solid online presence if you want to compete in an ever-changing job market.

Make use of any opportunity to showcase your achievements and skills. You can do so through social media, blogs, or even your own website. The safest, easiest, and most effective online presence you can create and maintain is on JobStreet, where you can create and update your resume at any time so that you can be more visible to the top hirers in Malaysia. 

2. Enhance your visibility

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is one of the key disciplines in digital marketing. It involves creating easily searchable content, which leads to more traffic and views. While it requires extensive study and practice to learn, its basic principles are simple enough and can be easily applied in your job seeking process.

The most basic idea behind SEO can be very useful in your job applications: make sure you use keywords relevant to the job you are applying for, the career you are pursuing, and the industry you want to break into.

This involves extensive research on any content about your job, career, or industry of interest. Watch out for “buzzwords” or trendy phrases that are commonly used. Not only will your application be more easily found, it will also be more in keeping with industry trends.

3. Get creative!

One of the best ways to show what makes you stand out among other candidates is to let your personality shine in your applications. You can play around with the possibilities that technology offers and add a little personality to your application.

One recent trend is creating a “value video”, which is essentially a self-shot video where you get to show and present your skills and qualifications in any creative way you can. You can do it in the style of a lifestyle vlog; it can involve plenty of animation and graphics; or, it can be a TikTok-style video explaining your qualifications.

A great way to get your resume noticed by employers is to add a little design flavour. Hirers are probably sifting through the same three to five resume formats most of the time, so why not jump out the page by showing something more colourful and out-of-the-box?

4. Tailor your application to the job you are applying for

Want to help out hirers who have the unenviable task of going through piles of applications and resumes? Then do not be one of those jobseekers who send out the same templated application to every single company. Believe us: they can tell!

So make sure your application, particularly your cover letter, is tailor-made for the specific job and company you are applying to. This involves doing thorough research on the company, their values, history, and what the job opening entails. It will give them the impression that you took enough time, effort, and thought in your application, which means that they will also take the time to read what you have to say.

Your cover letter should be addressed specifically to them. This means that it should be all about their company’s goals and needs and how you can contribute to these.

5. Show, don’t tell

When it comes to your skills and qualifications, do not just tell hirers all about them: it is always better to show them. Do not hold back. Seize any opportunity you have of proving how qualified and competent you are.

Graphic artists applying for a job should already use their resumes and portfolios as a chance to show hirers what they are capable of. If the job you are applying for calls for multilingual writing skills, write a cover letter demonstrating all the languages you know. Likewise, if the job posting is looking for highly-organised professionals, your cover letter and resume should be neat, well-organised, and error-free.

If you are a big believer in the saying, “first impressions last,” then make the biggest and best impression you can give in your application.

6. Say more with less

Most hirers do not have time to read long and rambling cover letters and resumes that go on and on for multiple pages. These are the kinds of applications that are often tossed aside, never to be read from beginning to end.

If you want to grab their attention, do so right away – in your first sentence or paragraph. This means that you should go straight to the point. Keep your cover letter short but meaty by sticking to only the relevant details – what the company needs and what you can offer them. You should also limit your resume to only your most impressive qualifications. Remember: you do not want to lose the hirer’s attention, so make sure to cut out all the unnecessary details.

7. Maximise your network

The online world gives us a level and breadth of connectivity that we have never seen before. It presents us with more chances of connecting with people who work in the same industry as we do or who engage in the same interests and activities as we do. Social media and online forums are a great way to expand one’s network and explore more career opportunities in the process.

By meeting more people, either online or in live events, you can be in a better position to stand out. This gives you a valuable edge, as communicating with the person on a one-on-one basis can create a more lasting impression. Make sure to foster these kinds of relationships when you can. You never know when it will pay off down the line.

At JobStreet, we are all about maximising all of your opportunities for success. We will help bring out what makes you stand out among other candidates, just make sure to create and update your JobStreet profile as you explore our jobs portal.