FranklinIs Connected

Set yourself apart

Set yourself apart

By Matt Lowney

 

Most candidates approach the employment process the same. They look online and in the newspaper for job postings, send their resumes, and then wait for the phone to ring. What have they done to set themselves apart as a candidate? Unless your resume is an absolute perfect fit for the job (which it rarely is), your doing the same thing as everyone else. If you are able to answer the 3 questions below you will be well ahead of 95% of all job seekers.

 

Do I have a plan? As mentioned above, most jobseekers do the same thing when looking for a job. This approach should be your last line of defense when looking for a job. You need to formulate a much more aggressive plan if you want to find the truly great opportunities. Make a list of companies you would like to work for and call the head of those departments. Find networking groups as well as the names of contacts at these companies to an understanding of what the company is looking for in new employees. Prepare a game plan that includes daily, weekly, and monthly activity goals and work to constantly revise and hone your plan. You’ll find that department heads and hiring managers rarely get calls directly from candidates, since most candidates are routed to human resources first. 

 

What am I doing to set myself apart? You really need to sit down and contemplate your response to this question, as it will help to create your plan of attack. By knowing your strengths and weaknesses, you can focus on companies that fit well with your skills and abilities. This answer is basically your mission statement for finding a new job. In addition you can use your response during an interview and when calling hiring managers. If you cannot clearly define what sets you apart as a candidate, then you need to speak with your family, friends, and co-workers. You may be surprised by their answers. Each job seeker has a unique skill set. You need to work hard to clearly define and explain yours, so that you can explain to employers what makes you the best possible candidate for the job. 

 

Do I have a 30-second speech prepared? Once you get a hiring manager or other decision maker on the phone you have 15 to 30 seconds to convince them that you are someone they should spend time with. Since this initial contact is so important you need to have a your sales pitch ready. Why are you a good fit for their company? What skills and qualities do you have to offer? If you don’t have your speech prepared, you will probably come across nervous and come across as unprepared. As a hiring manager, do you want to hire someone that is unprepared? Probably not. 

 

Matt Lowney is a Nashville, Tenn based recruiter, career consultant, and co-host of Career Talk, a weekly one hour career advice radio talk show that airs from 5 to 6 pm each Friday on WAKM 950.  For more information he can be reached at mlowney1977@yahoo.com