The discourse presupposes that there are one or more candidates who are equally
distinguished as much as you or probably better. The reality is that there is always a better
person at every given time perhaps due to years of experience, qualifications, level of dedication to work, or maybe through consistent commitment to learning.
Seeking to be outstanding means being ready to go above and beyond the best effort of the best candidate. It will require preparation, personal branding, and proper presentation. Preparation and Prominence should commence from the resume, and cover letter, through to the various levels of interviews.
Research the Company: Visit the company website and any other business portal where you can learn about the company. Get familiar with the company culture, values, mission, vision, short and long-term goals, business challenges, competitors, and market position in the industry. Demonstrate this knowledge by referencing them in your resume, and cover letter. (Refer to our blog on “Writing a compelling Cover Letter”). Talk to these topics during your interview and ask the interview panel questions about the long-term goals, the challenges the company is battling and how to hope to remain a leader in the industry. This shows your genuine interest and helps you stand out.
Create a Personal Brand: Personal branding is a conscious and intentional process of creating, defining, and promoting a certain perception of an individual. This would include the values, experiences, skills, strengths, purpose, and personality that are uniquely different from others. Personal branding consistently tells personal stories. Create and promote a clear, confident, and consistent online personal brand on LinkedIn and across other social media platforms where you belong. Hiring Managers and Recruiters most often will check out candidates they intend to hire particularly on LinkedIn.
Prepare for Common and Uncommon Questions: If invited to interview for an open position, proper preparation will prevent poor performance. Research common interview questions and attempt to answer them, put together an elevator pitch, and practice till it sticks to memory. In the same vein, prepare adequately for uncommon questions. Read the job description thoroughly, figure out some situational and behavioural scenarios that anyone occupying that position would be expected to handle, make them into questions, and try answering them.
Present Unique Value Propositions: The value proposition statement will answer the question of why the hiring manager should choose one candidate over the other candidates. This is akin to presenting a marketing/ sales pitch so have it well articulated in writing and practice the presentation as many times as possible. Highlight soft skills such as verbal and written communication, adaptability, emotional intelligence, teamwork, and leadership traits which are valuable for the open position. Showcase portfolio of work- projects, presentations, case studies, blogs, websites, etc., where applicable to demonstrate strong ability and competence for the role.
Follow Up: After an interview, send a thank-you note to everyone you interviewed with, rehash your interest in the role, and identify a key point (s) from the interview- it could be a lesson learned or a brief value statement reprise. If there is no feedback within the expected timeframe, send a polite follow-up email to check on the status of your application.
Be ready when the next door of opportunity opens. If you need further guidance, contact us at www.conduithr.com.
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