Whether by choice or by surprise, Americans are entering the job market at a larger rate than they have since the great recession. Practically overnight, our economy has flipped from a candidate-driven market to an employer-driven one. So how do you make yourself stand out as a candidate in 2020?
Here are our top tips:
Be confident – Share your accomplishments without being arrogant.
Presenting your accomplishments in a way that is confident without arrogance is key to winning over your future employer.
To do that, first, identify what your accomplishments are. Many of us are so busy doing the work that we forget to look up and take stock in what we’ve accomplished.
Here are 5 of the questions we ask clients when writing their resumes:
- What are you proud of?
- How have you made an impact?
- If you were asking for a raise or a promotion, what have you done to deserve it?
- What has your team accomplished? What role did you play in this accomplishment?
- Who have you mentored? How did you help them become successful?
Once you’ve identified your accomplishments, practice sharing them in a way that takes ownership of the outcome. Practice with a trusted friend, colleague, mentor, or career coach who will give you direct, clear feedback on ways to improve.
Identify and demonstrate your strengths
Name, claim, and aim your innate talents and begin sharing them with your future employer. Not sure where to begin? We love the CliftonStrengths Assessment to quickly and effectively identify these and help clients take ownership of them.
Brush up on your technical skills – Proactively seek out training.
Stop waiting for your employer to do it for you. Candidates who demonstrate a proactive approach to learning and development will always gain favor with hiring managers. Build continuing education into your career search strategy to ensure continual growth and development even in uncertain times.
Take action – Be a doer, not a complainer.
Day drinking and Netflix binging may seem like a good idea during challenging times but it won’t impress your future employer. Be proactive, volunteer, stay active, learn, and grow. Start a new hobby, learn a new skill, obtain the certifications you never had time for, and continue networking. Even moonlighting as a Shipt Shopper or grocery clerk to make the ends meet will be seen as admirable to your future employers. Remember, success has an action bias.
Need help in setting a search strategy, preparing for interviews, or writing your resume? Reach out. We’re here to help.
