A recent report found that unemployment is down to only 7% and is currently the lowest it has been since November 2008. Most people would think this is good news, but have you considered the flipside? There are only 11 million Americans who are searching for jobs, so differentiating yourself is a must. Whatever your experience, age or current situation, you can land your dream job if you just put some extra time and effort in the recruiting process.
1) Customize. Customize. Customize.
Anyone looking for a job knows it’s a lot of work. Sending your resume and portfolio to dozens of companies can feel like a full-time job. One mistake job-seekers make is being generic in your cover letter and resume. Spend some extra time to pitch yourself as the perfect candidate for the job. Address the company’s specific needs and tell them how you can fill them. This is your chance to pitch yourself in offices across the country to HR managers who have sought you out. While everyone else will be handing them a boring white piece of paper with internships, grade point averages and society clubs, a thoughtful cover letter or a video lets them put a face and personality to a name. Most importantly, it’s much better in the job-hunting process to stand out than fit in.
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2) Welcome to the New Age. Make a Video.
Video is the next generation in hiring tools. And most recruiters and hiring managers agree (even if they won’t admit to it) that they do “social hunting” (remember those unflattering pictures your friends tagged you in?) You can control your first impression by sending a recruiter a video or uploading it to your LinkedIn profile. A key element of your LinkedIn profile, or any other place where employers and recruiters learn about you, is your elevator pitch, or what makes you stand out. Zip Intro Video is the best way for candidates to showcase themselves to take back control of the traditional hiring process, giving you a chance to create a free 60-90 second snippet of who you are—your personality, creativity, passion and tenacity.
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It’s incredibly difficult to prove to a potential employer via resume that you are a unique candidate worthy of their time and employment. This is especially true for the sea of recent college graduates who all have roughly the same experience level. Being able to showcase even a little bit of your personality can make all of the difference in the world. An intro video distinguishes you from a pile of generic, one-dimensional resumes (boring!). It allows you to showcase talent, tenacity and relevant skills in a creative and tangible way.
3) Be Old School. Send a Handwritten Thank You Note.
In today’s modern digital age, snail mail is a lost art. Instead of an email after an interview, send a thoughtful hand-written thank you note. Outline what you discussed and express excitement for the company. A recent survey reported that 22 percent of hiring managers are less likely to hire a job candidate if they don’t send a thank you note after an interview because they believe it shows a lack of follow-through and that they aren’t serious about the job opportunity.
Most of your competitors will be sending follow up emails, so take it a step further and send a hand-written note. In today’s modern world taking the time to write a thank you note is a great personal touch. Plus everyone, including hiring managers, loves getting cards in the mail.
About Bill Barnett
Founder and CEO of LikeLive and Zip Intro
Bill has been involved in the communications and entertainment industry his entire professional career. His background includes advertising, radio, television, film, Internet and mobile media. Barnett became the first President of Radio Aahs, the first and only Children’s Radio Network in existence. Today Radio Aahs is known as Radio Disney. For several years Barnett also ran the branding integration department for Telepictures Warner Brothers.
As a regular speaker at universities such as University of Southern of California, Indiana University and University of Arizona, Barnett helps students and recruiters with the hiring process and job preparation.
