Searching for a new role can be quite stressful and when there are more jobseekers than roles on offer, its never been more important to stand out from the rest of the crowd. Here are my personal tips on how to improve your chances when looking for a new job in sales or tech.

1. Be proactive in your job search

Applying for jobs online and then waiting to hear back may make you feel like you have accomplished something, but does it really work?

One out of ten times it may land you a job, but those are not the best odds in anyone’s eyes.

There are many ways that you can increase your chances of securing a new role and being proactive in your job search can be one of the most valuable tools in your arsenal.

So, how can you accomplish this?

Use LinkedIn

Visit the company profile page for the job you are applying to and see who you may already be connected to at that company. Reach out to your connections and let them know that you are very interested to talk to someone about a position in their organisation. Many companies incentivise employees for referrals so, more often than not, people will be happy to refer your details.

Use your connections

If you see an ad from a recruitment company that is relevant and of interest, reach out to that recruiter to find out more about the role. Recruiters are a strong entry point to the market and will always have more information about the role, the company and the requirements than any job ad will ever provide. 

Recruiters typically share their contact information online so reaching out to them directly will definitely put you ahead of the job-hunting crowd. And if the role isn’t right, well there’s a good chance they will have other similar opportunities. This is especially true if you are  reaching out to a specialist recruiter, such as Kaliba. 

2. Social Media Presence

Social media is a powerful tool so make sure your Linkedin profile is up to date. A lot of employers and recruitment companies are guilty of using social media, such as LinkedIn, to screen potential candidates. 

Your online profiles are just as critical as your CV to gain credibility. So don’t be invisible to the world; ensure your LinkedIn social media profile is public and has a professional profile picture. Spend some time on your headline and the ‘about you’ section describing the value you offer to the a prospective employer. This is your time to shine and stand out from the rest of the world – be bold, be unique, but most importantly, be yourself and not just another generic profile.

3. Work with recruitment partners who specialise in your industry/background

Teaming up with a specialist recruitment consultant can be a huge benefit to anyone who is looking for a new role. Specialist consultants have an exensive network of industry-specific contacts and may often know about job opportunities before they are even been advertised. 

As a recruitment consultant will be doing the majority of the groundwork for you, it makes sense to add this string to your bow as it will increase the chances of you landing your dream job. 

Second to that, specialist consultants understand the industry like the back of their hand and are always forming strong relationships with leading organisations. If you are top of their mind it will increase your chances of securing a role.

4. Do your research and be prepared

Before you go to your interview, go over the job description in detail and make sure that you can draw examples of your experience aligned with the experience and skills required for the role. Spend time creating a list of questions that you think might be asked and prepare answers so you don’t get caught off guard in the interview. 

If you are being represented be a recruiter, make sure you spend time with them discussing interview preparation. Most of the time recruiters will have inside knowledge of what the employer is looking for, questions that may be asked, or how the interview will be conducted, so asking the advice of an industry expert will always help.

Research, research and research some more!

Being well researched will have a huge impact on your performance during the interview. It shows you are genuinely interested in their business and have invested time into this process. I always say its better to be overprepared then underprepared in any circumstance.

5. List your key wins and achievements

I cannot over-stress the importance of listing your key wins, achievements, major projects, etcetera, on your CV and LinkedIn profile. 

As a recruiter this is one of the first things I look for when I am screening candidates. It is vitally important to highlight these aspects when trying to stand out from the crowd and demonstrate what YOU did to contribute to the outcomes. For example, if you work in the sales field, list your achievements against quota, key logos you have won, the markets you are most successful in. If you are in a professional services or technical role, make a point to show the complex projects you have worked on and delivered, timelines and budgets, whatever you feel is going to highlight your achievements.

The vanilla job seeker is never going to stand out from the crowd, so in every step of your job search look for ways to differentiate yourself. People who are successful in their careers are the ones who take a more proactive approach, think outside of the box, and give themselves the best possible chance of securing their dream job.

I hope these tips help in your job hunt and if you’d like to discuss any of this, please get in touch with me via LinkedIn or via email: at john@kaliba.com.au.

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