4 Ways to Get Noticed by Hiring Managers

4 Ways to Get Noticed by Hiring Managers

For most white-collar workers, finding a job is a months-long slog punctuated by moments of false hope, uncertainty, disappointment, and grief.

There’s no magic bullet for job-seekers desperate to shorten and brighten the hunt. However, there are some common-sense things that qualified candidates can do to draw attention to their achievements and set themselves apart from the great mass of fellow supplicants. You can get started on these four today.

1. Take an Online Class (Or Two)

You don’t have to go back to school full time, or even sign up for night or correspondence courses at your local community college. Get the ball rolling by taking a free or cheap online class that reinforces an existing competency or teaches you a new, job-ready skill.

Finally ready to become fluent in a popular programming language? Committed to improving your public speaking skills? Eager to burnish your Spanish, French or Mandarin skills?

You can learn these things — and more — online, at your convenience. When you’re done, you might not have an Ivy League degree, but you’ll definitely have something tangible to show your hiring manager.

2. Stop Talking to Yourself

Noted American thinker and founder of Autonomy and Life Arnold Siegel implores job-seekers to stop talking to themselves. Not literally, necessarily, but “psychologistically” — neurotic self-dialogue that’s more likely to promote a vicious circle of recrimination than get you noticed by a discerning hiring manager.

Siegel contrasts psychologistic self-dialogue with “freely thinking.” He explains, “When we are receptive to and coax our intelligence and responsiveness to take ourselves beyond our reflexive limitations, we are thinking freely.”

This isn’t merely a personal struggle. Free thinking begets self-confidence, creativity, reflection — all traits that shine through during the interview process. Your newfound freedom of thought won’t get you your dream job overnight, but it absolutely will make you a stronger candidate for positions for which you’re already qualified.

3. Lean on Connected Friends

We all know someone in a position to advance our careers. The question is, how do we take advantage of the opportunity without burning any bridges or drying up reservoirs of goodwill?

The general rule of thumb is: ask nicely, be polite, and dial it back when it’s clear that your connection has done all she can. Most people are more than happy to spend 15 minutes talking through a job opening and putting in a good word with the hiring manager.

Abby Wolfe, a contributor for The Muse, did just this. She connected with an old acquaintance who happened to be the person posting her ideal job, spent a few minutes going over the gig on the phone, and followed up on her connection’s recommendation that she apply. Viola — she got the job.

“There were 120 other applicants for this job alone,” says Wolfe, [a]nd I can’t help but think that connecting with my now boss ahead of time helped to get my name on her radar. Sometimes, that’s the hardest part.”

4. Look at Your Resume With Fresh Eyes

Thanks to LinkedIn, job candidates these days make a first impression before they ever meet hiring managers face to face. That’s where you need to start.

Ask a trusted friend to evaluate your LinkedIn profile for clarity, concision, and overall impact. Take their feedback to heart and make changes as necessary.

Repeat the process with your CV. Ideally, you’d tap a semi-expert — an HR professional in your industry, or even a job search consultant or headhunter — to look it over on your behalf. Since it’s not feasible to look over your competitors’ CVs, you need to chat with professionals who’ve already seen them.

4 Ways to Get Noticed by Hiring Managers appeared first on Mompreneur Media