Top 5 tips to get your dream job and ‘shine’ in a competitive job market

In a world where everything is going digital, job applicants can’t escape from change. It is also making the competition for job seekers in the market harder than ever before. So the real question is: how can you stand out in a sea of people with great skills and experience? 

Here are our top 5 tips for both professionals looking to grow their career and also graduates who are just starting out their career journey:

• Market and brand yourself in a smart way

  Normally, we would always prepare the best interview clothes sometimes days or hours before the interview; always making sure to groom yourself to perfection to ensure you look fit for hire and professional. Since the pandemic and with the digital world evolving, it’s important to create a brand for yourself.  To do that, consider building and refining your online profile.

  LinkedIn is a way for you to open doors to a lot of career opportunities and it is a way for you to market your skills and experiences in a way for all recruiters to see. You can also engage in other professional conversations online and build your connections there.

  To learn how to build and refine your LinkedIn profile you could always check out our blog here about it.

• Be prepared for everything

  There is nothing better than making sure you are prepared to keep you on the right track. Shine and show your potential by showcasing competency, passion and your true authentic self.

  Go out of your way to do some research about the company’s core values and their culture and align yourself with that. One good thing about being prepared is that when the interview comes and the interviewee asks if you have any questions, your answers can be tailored based on your research on the job responsibilities and the company culture.

• Show them what you can bring to the table

  Many job seekers often think of what they need for their next job: job title, the pay and the culture. On top of being unique and authentic, you should often think of other ways for you to show them how you can add value to their company. Below are some examples to do that:

  • Create a perfect resume – Always update your resume and do not send out a generic one. Send out a resume that will market you as a professional that can bring so much more to the company. Make sure that your resume is tailored to the position and company you are applying for. Having a good set of technical skills and soft skills written at the first page of your resume is also a good example. More tips on how to tailor your resume here in our blog.

  • Do a SWOT analysis of yourself – Doing this analysis can help you categorise your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The purpose of this is to discover your unique value to your employer and work on the parts you seem to lack. The end result might surprise you. You will have a stronger sense of confidence when presenting yourself.

• Stay on trend with the job application market

  The current trends in the job market are constantly changing and it is a good thing to keep updated. This will help you in identifying labor market requirements from employers. Determine your skill if it corresponds to the current requirements and upgrade if needed.

  One example is that other requirements of skills for job applicants must be computer literate as most jobs now revolve around the use of computer applications.

• Just be yourself

  Be confident, be motivated, be the unique you. Find out about the company culture before the interview and find out if the company culture fits who you are. In order to stand out from the crowd, focus on being yourself. At the end of the day, the only person you need to impress other than the company you are applying for is you.

  Stand out from the crowd and apply with one of the best!