If you are job searching, you need to consider the competition you are up against. It would be naive of you to think you are the only one being considered for an interview, the only one who applied and ultimately the only one who deserves the role – you’re not. On average, 118 people apply for each vacancy and you need to make yourself stand head and shoulders above the rest. Writing an ace CV is one thing but preparing beforehand to present the best version of yourself will take you all the way. Here’s a few outside of the box tips that will help you leave a lasting impression, a few tips that have helped us help our candidates along the way.
1. Cover Letter
Write a detailed and tailored cover Letter for the role you are applying for and send it along with your CV in application. Cover Letters should include an accurate personal description of your soft skills, your relevant experience, any relevant achievements and your reasons for applying. However, I cannot express the importance of tailoring them per application and being sure to check and double check you are submitting the right one for the right role.
2. Name Drop
Do your research before hand – find out as much as you can about the person interviewing you. If you are interviewing in a field which you are experienced within, figure out who your mutual connections are already. LinkedIn is an excellent source of information and highlights mutual connections for you but use your market knowledge too, take some time to think about the circles you have walked in and the circles they have walked in and prepare to namedrop during the interview. This can quickly help you establish credibility and build rapport.
3. Ask The Nitty Gritty
You will be given an opportunity to ask questions at some stage during the interview – normally at the end but sometimes it varies so make sure you prepare a few beforehand that will really make an impact. For example:
- How do you measure success?
- What top three traits would you like to see me display during my first month?
- How do I compare to the other candidates you have interviewed?
- What would prevent you from hiring me?
Asking the nitty gritty questions shows that you are taking the process seriously and gets the employer thinking about how you may behave in the role, rather than just theoretically suggesting it.
4. Get A Business Card
Always ask for a business card before you leave! That way everyone’s a winner as even if you don’t get the job, you’ve gained a new and credible contact that may be able to help you or someone you know at a later stage in your career. But it also gives you an opportunity to be a bit more human and to follow up after the interview with a thank you and to reiterate your interest. If you are the first person to be interviewed for a role out of eight different people, they may struggle to remember exactly how you performed but an email or a text message to remind them of your enthusiasm will help you remain fresh in their mind as well as allowing you to stand out amongst many that don’t do this!
We are property recruiters covering Commercial property, Residential property, New Homes, Development, Office Support, Property & Block Management, Facilities Management, General Practice, Sales & Lettings and Executive Search. Get in touch if we can help you present the best version of yourself during interview or to help with your hiring strategy!
