How to Show a Hiring Manager That You’re the Best Candidate for the Job
Tuesday, November 13, 2018, 6:00 AM | Leave Comment
Sometimes being qualified for a job isn’t enough. You can have the proper training, education, and on-the-job experience, but it’s not enough to simply fit the part — you have to stand out.
Here are some ways to show a hiring manager that you’re perfect for your dream job.
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Clean Up Your Social Media
Very few things can derail your job application faster than an embarrassing social media presence. If you think that companies don’t care about what you do and say online, then you are sorely mistaken.
How you present yourself on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms gives a potential employer a window into your ability to be a good employee. Anything you do reflects the company’s values — both good and bad.
Go through your social media accounts and delete anything you may regret later. Set your controls to private so that employers cannot see what you’ve posted. In some scenarios, a complete social media wipe may be your best bet (if you’ve been particularly lax over the years).
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Don’t Turn in a Tired Resume
One way to stand out amongst the crowd is to turn in a rockstar resume. Gone are the days of typical, lame CVs with basic, boring info that simply covers education and work history.
You must think of your resume as your initial (and likely best) self-promotional tool, so make sure you market yourself effectively.
Your resume should be written specifically for the job you’re seeking (no generic resumes) and should focus on your true accomplishments over the years (as opposed to simply stating what you’ve done). Edit so that it is informative but concise; don’t bore a hiring manager with an overlong four-page resume.
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Do Your Homework Before the Interview
Even if you thrive in the interview format, so do many others. To show a hiring manager you’re the perfect person for the job, you have to seriously impress them. One way to do that is to be the most prepared candidate they interview.
Do your homework. Mentally, prepare answers for as many of the most-likely-to-be-asked questions you’ll field. Know what you’re going to say. Also, research the specific company and industry trends in its particular area. The more you know about the company, what it does, and what that means for its industry, the more impressive you’ll be.
Finally, figure out what you’re going to ask of the interviewer beforehand. A candidate who doesn’t have solid questions for the hiring manager is a candidate who doesn’t look that serious about wanting the job.
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Don’t Forget the Basics
You can be the most qualified and the most prepared of the candidate pool, but if you go in looking like a schlub, you don’t stand a chance. Don’t forget the basics of wowing a potential employer — dress for success, show up early, and don’t forget to follow up. Thank them for the opportunity. Ask what else you can do to make their decision easier. Stay in communication. These basic job-seeking steps will ensure any hiring manager takes you seriously.
Nothing you do on a resume or throughout the interviewing process is going to make up for a lack of experience and expertise. However, nailing the application and interviewing process can help you stand out amongst a crowd of qualified candidates.
Remember that you’re marketing yourself, and all your potential employer has to go on is what they can see of you online and what you show them in your written and verbal statements. That’s why it’s vital you put your best, most prepared foot forward in all of these areas.
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