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Going the Extra Step – How to Get Your Resume to the Top of The Pile

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It’s You vs You vs Hundreds of Other Applicants

My coach used to have a saying, “Control the Controllable’s”.  I’ll be honest it used to drive me crazy thinking that I could control being exhausted with the amount of work we had on top of our athletic schedule.  However, now I know what she meant.  You can’t control what the other team does, you can only prepare for it.  If you prepare for something, then why waste the mental load worrying about it?

You can’t control who the other applicants are for a job BUT you can control how you go about applying for the same job.  The average job posting can have anywhere from 20 applicants to 300 hundred – so how do you stand out?

Well if you haven’t already – look at how to update your Resume and LinkedIn.  After that, read this next part.

1.) Research, Research, Research

Many job listings will name who the Hiring Manager is or who the Recruiter is for the position. Connect with them! Send something simple in a connection request like “Hey [insert name], I noticed you’re the hiring manager for [insert position] that I just applied for and I wanted to reach out and introduce myself to help put a face to a name.”

What does this do? Shows you are proactive, have initiative and puts you on their radar.

 

2.) You have the interview – now what?

MORE RESEARCH!!!

  • Who is interviewing you, what companies have they worked at prior?
  • What does the company do? What is the product? Who is their customer base?
  • Can you find out who else is on their team?
  • What is the company’s core values from their website?

Then practice – but don’t be scripted.  Rehearse why you’re a good fit for this position and what weaknesses you have that you want to work on.  No one wants a fake answer on what your weaknesses are – don’t get stumped by a question.  Ask your friends or family to mock interview you to make sure you’re prepared.

 

3.) During The Interview

  1. Wear something professional, even if it is remote
  2. Find a quiet location that you will be uninterrupted for.  Avoid coffee shops or using your phone, it makes it easy to get distracted or come across that you were unprepared
  3. Sit up straight and mute all notifications on all of your devices – remaining focused and attentive is key.
  4. Have questions prepared to ask at the end of the interview.
    1. Ask chatgpt: “I am interviewing for [x role] at [x company], what questions should I ask at the end of my interview.”

4.) After The Interview

Send a thoughtful email thanking the interviewer for their time.
Ex.) Hi [insert name],
I just wanted to say thank you for your time and insights into [company].  It was a pleasure learning more about the role and I look forward to whatever next steps may come.
If you have any other questions for me please don’t hesitate to ask!
 

In Conclusion…

You’ll never be fully qualified for any job, if you are, it means there is no room for you to grow.  Just like when you join a new team, you have to learn the team strategy before stepping up into a starting role.

Don’t underestimate yourself, focus on your transferrable strengths and that you are excited and prepared to take on the challenge.