As a job seeker you probably are well aware of the many obstacles on the road to landing a new job successfully. Knowing the best approach to the process will help your job hunting efforts be fruitful and productive. Whether you are just starting the journey to a new position or you’ve been beating the path for a long time, it’s important to know how to make yourself more hireable and what it is that will open doors to landing that dream job.

The Basics

There are some obvious points to consider, such as making sure you:
 

• Perfect your resume and cover letter
• Highlight the very best (and most relevant) of your experience
• Dress the part (no ragged clothes or faded concert tees)
• Be on time for interviews (meaning be 15 minutes early)
• Leave the gum chewing for later

These are things that hopefully you are already well aware of and implementing foundationally as you seek employment. But what are some other (and easier) ways to make yourself more hireable?

Stand Out From the Crowd

Employers are looking for candidates who will stand out from the crowd. To make yourself more hireable, craft your resume to reflect what makes you unique. Did you intern with a big name brand company? Mentioning this gives your experience more weight. Do you have certifications above and beyond the minimum required for the position at hand? List details that allow you to shine.

Remember that the hiring manager will likely find their desk flooded with the applications of multiple hopeful prospects. Yours needs to be the resume that is waving its hand and cheerfully saying, “Pick me!”

A Leader Among Followers

When given the opportunity, choose to be the head of a committee or the leader of a group. Employers like knowing that you have skills beyond following the crowd, that you can take charge as needed, and that you have potential to grow within the company. Especially if it increases your experience in your field of employment, being a leader is a great way to make yourself more hireable.

Get Polished

The way you look to a potential new employer is important, and preparing for the job hunt should go way beyond simply grabbing that go-to interview outfit sitting wrinkled in the back of your closet. If you need to, ask for professional advice, perhaps hiring a stylist for your wardrobe.

And while you’re at it, enlisting the aid of a professional resume writer to polish up your resume will save you the embarrassment of offering the same tired resume you created right after college. Upgrading your overall look opens doors you might otherwise miss.

The Power of What’s Written

Having a piece of work published is a great way to make yourself more hireable. Write about something you know, something in your field that is a little bit different that shows your level of skill and understanding of the job at hand. This shows hiring managers that you’ve put thought and effort into your work and possibly makes you look like an expert in your area of the career world.

Forward Thinking

To make yourself more hireable, think beyond the obvious. Make a connection that merges the experiences you have with the needs of the company where you hope to work. Be prepared to articulate these thoughts concisely and with conviction. The last thing you want to do is give a shell of an idea then have it fall flat because you’ve missed the details.

Phone a Friend

Okay, technically ‘phoning a friend’ is not entirely accurate, but turning to your contacts to help create a case for what makes you an asset to the workforce is a great idea. For example, seeking out all past and present employers, coworkers, and clients and asking them to be in your corner can be a smart way to make yourself more hireable.

Dream Up a Project

If you stumble across a dream job that you just can’t miss out on, one way to make yourself more hireable is to create a unique proposal for a project that is tailored to that specific position. Chances are, most other applicants won’t be taking the time to do this and companies love seeing someone (like you!) who takes initiative to get what they want.

Be Yourself

Too many people enter the job search thinking they have to put on a false persona that gets them in the door. The truth though is that you must truly be yourself from the beginning. In the resume and application phase and on through the interview process, if you get hired without being authentic, you may not actually fit in at the new company and eventually (inevitably) will find yourself going through the job search process all over again.