Six Ways to Start Getting Noticed By Job Recruiters and Hiring Mangers Immediately By Josef Stetter

Maybe you lost your job when the pandemic hit. Perhaps you were part of the Great Resignation. In any event, you might be feeling frustrated, confused and even exhausted because no matter what you do or how many jobs you apply for, you can’t seem to secure that next big career move. Not only that, but many applicants can’t even get a response to job openings they are more than qualified for.

The good news is it’s not a reflection on your qualifications, your character or anything else. What it boils down to is you more than likely don’t know some key things you have to do in order to get noticed and get the offer.

Here are six things you can start doing differently today to get the attention of job recruiters and hiring managers.

Update Your Resume Daily

Maybe you have a resume posted on LinkedIn, Glassdoor or Indeed.com, and you’re excited about all the recruiters who will view it. Problem is the longer your resume sits, the further down it falls. If you haven’t updated it recently, it’s sitting at the very bottom of the stack, regardless how well-written it is or anything else. A simple trick to stay at the top of the pile is to go in daily and update it. Even simply opening it up, pressing the space bar and resaving it will do the trick. Based on the algorithm of most sites, your best bet is to update it between 11:45 p.m. and 2:45 a.m.

“No Phone Calls,Please” Means You Should Call

Contrary to popular belief, when a job description says, “No phone calls, please,” that’s the time to pickup the phone and call. Your gut instinct is it’s going against their wishes, it’s rude and disrespectful. More times than not, the “No phone calls” line is just standard verbiage. You are up against many other qualified candidates, and you want to be known and standout. The only way to do this is to get the hiring manager on the phone. Be polite and get right to the point. Now is not the time for chitchat unless the conversation naturally goes in that direction.

Get Very Specific

One pet peeve of hiring managers that is sure to send your resume to the trashcan is if you use very generic phrases. For example: “I am hardworking,” “I am very dedicated,” and “I am a fast typist.” Instead, get very specific and paint a detailed picture of your accomplishments: “I made 60 outbound calls each day while overseeing inbound calls over 12 phone lines,” and “I helped increase sales by 30% last quarter which yielded more than $30 million in sales.” Get the idea? Get specific!

Quality Over Quantity When Networking

Most people approach a networking event with the mindset of quantity over quality. They’re thinking about how many people they can meet or exchange business cards with instead of how many quality relationships they can create. A well-written resume is one thing. A solid relationship with the right people is a million times better. Next time you attend a networking event, take your time, ask specific questions, listen intently, and most important, be memorable. Don’t be afraid to wear a hat, a funny tie or that purple shirt you love. If you have long dangling earrings, blue hair or wear sneakers, that’s fine as long as it’s authentic and consistent with your brand.

Do You Have Any Questions?

You just aced the interview and it’s winding down when the recruiters asks: Do you have any questions? The absolute worst thing you can say is ‘No!’ You must ask a minimum of three quality questions. My recommendations are:

• If I am hired, what is the first thing I could do to make an immediate impact? (You want to find out because you will want to do this if you get the job)
• What is the biggest obstacle for success in this position? (Again, you want to find out because if you are hired, you need to be mindful of this)
• Of the other people who have held this position, what are some characteristics you would like to see repeated? (You will want to duplicate them)
• How do you see me fitting in? (This is the million-dollar question. If they can’t give you a good response, you more than likely aren’t getting the offer)

Know How to Handle The “Tell Me About a Weakness” Question

It’s the question most job candidates dread: Tell me about a weakness. It can actually be your best friend if you know how to reply. In most cases, your response is irrelevant. The recruiter is just making sure you can accept feedback.

There are two rules to remember:

1. Poke fun at yourself.My wife tells me I’m perfect, but if I had to think of something it is my…
2. Use the past-present-future antidote: In the past I was not very comfortable with social media. Then I took a few classes and became quite proficient with it. Now, people ask me to help them post on all different platforms. This is no longer an issue for me and in fact, I feel very confident in my social media abilities. You are admitting to a weakness but also showing how you addressed it.

For more than 20 years, Josef Stetter has been a successful career coach and job market advisor. He is the author of several industry books and has assisted thousands of people land their dream job. For more information, visit https://celebrategroup.ca/ and https://landyourdreamjob.info/