When applying for a new career role, it can often feel as though everyone else in Australia is out looking for a job too. While this is certainly not the case, there are undoubtedly numerous individuals on the hunt for open positions. Particularly in a popular career field, it is easy to feel a dip in your confidence. How can you stand out as a jobseeker?
When you’re looking to succeed in a competitive job market, you’ve got to be, well, competitive. This means focusing on YOU. In the end, you can only control yourself and what you present as a potential employee. The keys to standing out as a jobseeker in Australia may depend most strongly on your own personal growth and self-promotion. Read on for specific ways you can give yourself a much-needed leg up in the hiring game.
Highlight What You Uniquely Bring
Be yourself. It might sound cliché, but it is absolutely true. The results of your interview and job application may be determined in part by the presence of another qualified candidate, but that is a factor beyond your control. You can only bring to the role your unique experience, background, and skills. Because of this, you need to sell yourself! This is the only element within your power to work with. Highlight your special qualities and what makes you stand apart from other candidates. Get creative and show what you—and only you—will contribute in the work environment. And attitude and first impressions are a major factor for hiring decisions. You never know when your special personality and attitude could land you the job—even beating out more experienced candidates.
Know Yourself (& Know the Job!)
It can be demoralising going after jobs and getting continual rejections. While often that is simply the way the job search process works, sometimes job seekers are actually hurting themselves by going after the wrong roles. It’s vital, therefore, to know your own capabilities, interests, and ambitions. If you’ve experienced many rejections in the past, you may be targeting positions that don’t match these aspects. This does not mean to undersell yourself, but to take a good, hard look at what you bring as an employee. Conversing with friends and family is a good way to get an honest perspective, but you can also discuss your goals with a recruiter. He or she will help you assess your strengths and challenges and start going after the right roles.
It’s also highly recommended to “study up” before your job interview and even before submitting your application. The more you can tailor these things to suit the employer, and the better you understand what they are looking for, the greater your chance of performing well and getting hired.
Hone Your Most In-Demand Skills
To stand out as an Australian job seeker, it’s also a smart move to build up those skills employers are most looking for. This will vary from industry to industry, so keep up with trends in your field to see what skills are in demand. Additional education, training, or certifications don’t hurt your job prospects, either, so keep learning and never stop working on your own self-improvement.
Work with a Recruitment Agency that Values You
If you’re having difficulties obtaining a job in the competitive marketplace, why not consider working with a professional recruitment agency? With On Line Recruitment and Labour Hire, you’ll be partnered with a team that values you, and aims to find you the best solution for your job search. A recruitment agency can connect you with the best available job vacancies, and has the inside edge on what employers are looking for. If you really want to stand out, give our free services for jobseekers a try. Together, let’s find you the ideal job to meet your needs.
