Stand out from the crowd

We recently came across the case of the PR practitioner that created this YouTube interactive CV in order to help him find a job. He wasn't getting any luck using the traditional CV approach and decided to do something different, gain some publicity and has ultimately found himself a great job thanks to it.

It's an interesting take on the lengths that candidates go to in order to find that perfect job in post credit crunch Britain. Whilst it's impossible for every candidate to have the resources (or necessity) to make a YouTube CV for their job search it does beg the question as to what candidates can do to make themselves stand out just that little bit more when the job market is as competitive as it is.

As recruiters, we see hundreds of CV's every week in all sorts of formats, with all manner of content. We think we're in a pretty good position to be able to advise on what works and what doesn't. In our experience, 3 very significant 'extras' have risen to top of the list in terms of what can and should be done, and we wanted to share these below:

1. Be known for what you know:

When clients are looking to fill a position, they are looking for someone with knowledge and experience of performing a role. If you want to be the candidate they select, you stand a much better chance if they're familiar with your work. We're not talking what's on your CV but more being known in industry for what you've done. Articles you've written or been featured in, papers you may have published?remember: what you say about yourself can be powerful, but what others say about you can be even more so.

2. It's about what AND who you know

This isn't new advice - on the contrary it has always been good practice to network and make yourself known in your industry. In difficult times however, the value of your network is amplified. Very often, you hear about opportunities through your network first, and even if you go through a recruiter to find your role, you may find shared contacts and networking event meetings with prospective interviewers at a client. This common ground will not only show you in a positive light but will also help you stand out from other candidates.

3.Online

When attending interviews, we advise candidates to do a few simple Google searches for the client they are interviewing at and the contacts they will be meeting. It's the very least that can be done for some up to date information and always impresses. But the opposite is also true. What you as a candidate can find out about a client, they can also find about you. Therefore it is essential you take control of your online brand. The information about you will be out there, so it makes sense that you show people what you want them to see. LinkedIn, twitter and other websites rank highly on Google, so a tidy online profile with positive information about you will mean no nasty surprises.

The best candidates will always think innovatively about they job search. But in our experience, if you follow the three steps above, you will be doing your job search a world of good.