3 ways to make it hard for employers to resist you.

In a highly competitive job market, every job seeker needs a way to stand out from the crowd. But what separates the great from the good and makes a particular candidate too irresistible to ignore? Often, it is one of the following 3 attributes:

1.   Able to prove your worth: It is one thing to call yourself a good communicator or an effective leader, and another to back those claims with proof. Employers want to know what you will bring to the table if hired. Candidates who can provide tangible examples of successes at their current and past jobs will certainly stand out. More and more employers simply aren’t interested questions like, ‘if you were an animal, which one will you be?’ They are increasing interested in seeing if the candidate understands the value that he or she is expected to bring to the employer once hired.

Most applicants for commission-driven jobs can demonstrate competency and quantify value by discussing how they met quotas, exceeded sales objectives or enlisted new clients. Candidates in other fields who are accustomed to thinking this way may have more difficulty, but trying to do so may ultimately land them a job. To come up with examples, it might help to examine your CV and performance reviews first or even internship records. What have you accomplished that sets you apart from the others? How can those achievements be applied to this job you are applying for? Is there a way to quantify or explain your achievements in terms of time or money saved, output or improvement? It can be especially effective to search for examples that are relevant to the position and of great interest to the employer. For example, a candidate who demonstrates knowledge of world market tends to grab the attention of a global company. Examining the job advertisement for keywords can offer clues as to what might be most significant

2.   Demonstrating more than simple knowledge of the company: An acceptable candidate looks at the company’s website before heading for the interview. An irresistible one learns more. To stand out, you need to show that your research on the company was a mile and not an inch deep. You need to show that you understand the company quite well. Annual reports and financial statements can help. Likewise, check for any recent news events or press releases about the organization. Knowledge of small details such as the company’s motto or vision, its products and services, competitors, stock price, and senior management as well as the company history make you stand out.

3.   Enthusiasm: If you have taken the time to demonstrate your worth and to do your research on the company, chances are that you are well on your way to becoming the final candidate an employer can’t resist. You are truly an enthusiastic candidate. How does enthusiasm shine through? First I believe in the candidate’s interest in the interview itself. It reflects the excitement with which they will undertake their duties once they are offered the job. Questions that are not only about the job the candidate would be doing but also about the job in the future show enthusiasm. Candidates who ask the interviewer how they may expand the position’s responsibilities demonstrate enthusiasm. So are those who show interest in upward mobility, those who want to move up and why the position they are being interviewed for is vacant. Also perceived as enthusiastic are those who show interest on how they will fit in with the group to which they are assigned. Let a potential employer know that you have spent time learning about this particular job.

Chances are that your genuine excitement could become contagious. Companies love to hire people who have passion and enthusiasm for a position rather than a candidate who sees the position as just another job.