How to Position Yourself as the Top Job Candidate

How to Position Yourself as the Top Job CandidateHow to Position Yourself as the Top Job CandidateAfter spending the time, energy, and money looking and applying for a job, you dont want your resume and titelbild letter to get lost in the applicant pool. Naturally, youwant to be the top job candidate. Your application needs tostand out and shine- and get you a call from the hiring manager for a job bewerberinterviewPosition yourself as the top job candidate with these tips that are bound to impress any potential employerDo your research.Imagine youre sitting across from your interviewer and he asks you a general question testing your knowledge of the company- and youre clueless how to answer it. Ideally, you should do some research before your job interview so that you have an understanding of what the company does, its mission,some ofits history, and its current standing in the marketplace.But it doesnt stop there- you should also ask ahead of time who youll be interviewing with and know their names and titles, and a bit about what they do for the company, too.Customize your job application. Although its easier (and certainly faster) to churn out generic job applications, you might leid have much job search success using that method. While its more time-consuming, its in your best interest to customize your job application for each and every job you apply for. That means making sure that your work experience, skills, and education align with the job description, and then highlighting those in your job application.Then, use your cover letter to show off your research by referencing some facts about the company and why you would be a match for the position.Know the employers needs. Every job represents a need within a company. Depending on the job youre applying for, it might be a marketing need, an accounting need, an HR need, etc. As a top job candidate, show a potential employer that you understand exactly what he needs, and how you can help him achieve his g oals via your skills, knowledge, and experience.By expressing to the company what you can do for them (instead of what you want them to do for you), you can make yourself a much more attractive job candidate and increase your chances of getting a job offer.Dont forget to follow up. Between applying for jobs, doing research, and interviewing with companies, it can be easy to forget to follow up with employers. So take the time to send a thank-you note to each person you interview with. By offering thanks for meeting with you, it gives you the opportunity to reiterate how much you want the position and also to keep you in a potential employers mental forefront, particularly when hes making his decision on who to hire.Be gracious. You might get turned down for a job that you really wanted. Even if your initial reaction is to be upset, send a thank-you email- even if you dont get the job. Why? For one thing, it shows a level of graciousness that other job applicants might not express. P lus, you never know if the applicant who initially got hired for the position will work out or not, or if another job might open up in the future that the hiring manager could recommend you for.