How To Become A Desirable Job Candidate

Even when it’s a job seeker’s market, the job search can still be very competitive. If you want to stand out in the candidate pool, you need to impress employers and recruiters in every way possible. Here are some tips to make yourself the most exciting job candidate in any industry.

Strong personal brand

Prioritize developing your personal brand because it’s going to be an employer’s first impression of you. It’s important to solidify how you want to present yourself to potential employers, recruiters, colleagues, and network connections. Your personal brand comes across on social media channels, your CV, cover letter and portfolio. Use a professional photo on your social media profiles, design a cohesive layout between your CV, cover letter and portfolio, and compose a brief personal branding statement that you can use as an elevator pitch.

Impressive references

References are not always a candidate’s first concern; however, a strong reference can really improve your chances of getting your desired job. Consider people in your life who you have worked well with, who motivated you and who were active participants in your success. Ask them if they can write you a LinkedIn endorsement, or a short version of a reference letter to include in your job search repertoire.

Continue learning/acquire new skills

Always be learning! Look for ways to gain and acquire knowledge, skills and experience. Some examples can include taking an online certification course, attending a workshop or a conference, depending on how demanding your current job may be. Additional training and experience can give you an upper hand in your job search.

Demonstrate your knowledge

Use social networks as an advantage to showcase your skills and knowledge. Depending on what you have to offer, spend some of your spare time writing blogs, sharing articles, creating videos, joining and participating in groups on LinkedIn and Facebook, or interacting with people in your professional network and industry. Recruiters spend a lot of time on the internet looking for top talent, so getting your name out there will make you a more visible candidate.