Differentiate Yourself - How to Stand Out In the Crowd of Job Seekers

In today’s competitive job market it is important to know how to stand out in the crowd. While it is difficult to find an accurate statistic on just how many job seekers there are for any given position, most recruiters and hiring managers will tell you that they receive 10’s if not 100’s of resume’s for each position.
So…how do YOU stand out in the crowd? Here are some helpful tips that you can use to ensure you’ll be at the head of the pack.
Know What You Want – Being clear about what you value and what you want from your career is the first step in getting noticed. People that are clear about the direction of their career seek out jobs and/or businesses that are in alignment with their goals. Clarity creates a strong foundation and will garner the respect of potential employers.

Let Integrity Be Your Guide – Acting from integrity first means knowing what you want and believe in, but it also involves doing your homework. Rather than just applying for “job postings or open positions”, if you act with integrity, you are very intentional about your search. It becomes just as much about the organizations qualifications as it is about yours. Cover letters, resumes, and interviews, when done with integrity, come across much different than those that are not.

Unleash Your Enthusiasm – When you are clear about what you want and act with integrity, enthusiasm becomes a natural outcome. Being truly enthusiastic is not something you can just decide to be. It comes from connecting with and acting upon those things that bring you meaning. It comes from your soulmind. Time and again, hiring managers rank enthusiasm among the top reasons why they choose one candidate over another.

Self Awareness, Know your Core Competencies – Be very honest with yourself about what your strengths are. Knowing what your inherent talent is and what specific skill sets you’ve accumulated will help determine what the “right” fit is for you. Many people make the mistake of only thinking about the skills they’ve gained through work experience. Look at your life experience in its entirety. Interview friends and associates and ask them what they think you are uniquely talented at. You are uniquely magnificent and one of a kind. Claim it!

Expect the Best, Manage Your Psychology – Having a positive expectation of yourself and the world around you makes a huge difference. While I won’t get into the scientific explanation here, it has been proven that how we think about circumstances has a significant effect on what actually ends up happening. Pay attention to your thoughts and replace negative ones with positive ones. As Horace, the ancient Roman philosopher once said, “Life is largely a matter of expectation.”

Think about the people you’ve noticed that “stand out in the crowd”. Chances are they exemplify these points and more. Getting noticed and standing out in the crowd, is all about being YOU!