How Job Seekers Can Stand Out in a Competitive Market

A tumultuous economy and fears about a recession have made it harder to find a new job. The number of job listings per applicant was cut in half over the last year, according to TIME magazine, and job seekers sent out 40% more applications in June 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. With job growth slowing to 209,000 per month—distinctly slower compared to the last few years, according to Indeed’s Hiring Lab—the power has shifted back to the employer, making it significantly more competitive for job seekers. Applicants need to be more diligent and creative than ever to stand out. In this article, we’ll go over a number of ways to increase your chances of getting noticed by hiring managers, including tips on how to improve your resume and nail the interview process.

Pro Tip: You can use Indeed Career Scout as your personal AI career coach to streamline every step of your search, from finding jobs and tailoring resumes to acing interviews and landing an offer.

5 tips on how to improve your resume

Fierce competition can make applying for a job daunting. You might worry that your resume will end up in a black hole, but there are steps you can take to ensure it rises to the top of the heap.

1. Show your impact with numbers

Updating your resume is an obvious first step when starting a job search. To make it more impactful, focus on results rather than responsibilities. Employers are more interested in the impact you’ve had in previous roles and organizations than the tasks you’ve crossed off. For example, highlight how you helped your team or organization cut costs or improve sales or profitability. Whenever possible, use numbers and percentages to emphasize results. Quantifying your accomplishments is an easy way to convey to hiring managers how you might add value to a new potential role. Read more: How to Use Numbers in a Resume

2. Fill in the gaps of experience or skills

Reflect on whether you lack skills that are key to a role. Online certificate programs can help you fill those gaps relatively quickly. According to a Harvard Business School Online survey of recruiters, more than half said certificates can help your resume stand out, particularly if they’re from a reputable institution. Showing you’re on top of current trends can also make you an attractive candidate. Consider highlighting experience with certain software or programming skills. For example, in your cover letter, you could detail how you've experimented with artificial intelligence in your role and its benefits to the organization. Related: How to List Certifications on a Resume

3. Beat the bots

Most employers now use software to weed out applicants. To make sure you beat the bots, your resume must be free of typos and grammatical mistakes and should include keywords used in the job description. You can also optimize your online professional profiles with related keywords to help recruiters find you. Try using artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT to make perfecting and finding the right keywords faster and more precise. Related: How To Use ChatGPT in Your Job Search

4. Tailor your resume and cover letter for the job

Don’t make the one-size-fits-all mistake when it comes to your applications. Customize your resume and cover letter for each role to align with the competencies and qualifications necessary for the position. That may require reordering or emphasizing different skills or adding a few keywords. Another factor that could help you stand out is incorporating quotes from former bosses or other references about your standout skills or capabilities. Or maybe there’s a story you could share about a personal connection with the company. Try something new to capture hiring managers’ attention and keep your resume top of mind. Read more: How To Write Cover Letters That Stand Out (With Example)

5. Get your resume in the right hands

Finding someone who can put your resume on the right desk is critical to getting noticed during your job search. Scour your network to see if someone you know is directly connected to the hiring organization. Reaching out and asking them to forward your resume can be the best way to get noticed. If you can’t find a connection, you could make an educated guess and email your resume and cover letter to who you think might be the hiring manager. Even if they’re not the right person, they might be willing to help. Related: The Benefits of Networking: 14 Reasons To Start Your Network

6 ways to stand out during the interview process

If you get past the first hurdle and are in the running for the role, ensure you’re ready for the interview. These steps will help get you primed:

1. Know the company you’re applying for

Learn as much as possible about the industry, company and role to show you’ve done your homework and are interested in the job. Be prepared to answer questions about the company’s policies and values, as well how current events could affect their industry or your role. Showing that you’re well informed and motivated to have a personal stake in the company can often set you apart from other candidates. Asking the right questions about the company you’re interviewing with can be equally important. For example, you could inquire about any projects they may currently be working on, thereby giving you an opportunity to immediately add value by offering hypothetical solutions. By expressing your expertise, this has the additional effect of heightening your credibility. Read more: 11 Ways To Positively Stand Out During a Job Interview

2. Play to your strengths

It’s important before an interview to identify your strengths. Playing to your strengths and promoting how your unique set of hard and soft skills will immediately prove valuable to a company is an effective method for standing out during the interview process. Identify the points you want to make and incorporate those messages into your answers. Illustrating how your background or experience can help achieve the company's goals will show that you have thought about the role and company deeply. Hiring managers are looking for potential employees who check off certain boxes, so prioritize ways to highlight your expertise in each of your answers. Related: Job Cast: Showcase Your Strengths

3. Consider doing a mock interview

Identify the questions you’re most likely to be asked and practice your answers. Have a friend act as the interviewer and role-play with you, and ask them to provide feedback. Highlight any answers that could utilize better keywords or need more quantifiable achievements. Most importantly, be sure to take notes during the practice interview or have means to record it. Reflecting back on an interview through your notes or a recording can prove incredibly effective for solidifying your answers and building confidence. Read more: What Is a Mock Interview? (With 6 Example Questions)

4. Be mindful of how you communicate

Evaluating how you communicate in interviews can be just as important as knowing what you communicate. Try to remain aware of how your choice of words and tone of voice affects how you come across to interviewers. Considering that much of what we communicate tends to be nonverbal, be conscious of how your body language might be perceived. By keeping consistent and positive eye contact and avoiding nervous or distracting gestures, you’re better able to convey confidence and comfortability.

5. Be thoughtful about your appearance

Wear professional clothes to the interview to show you’re a serious candidate, even on Zoom. Ensure that your clothes are neatly pressed and wrinkle-free, and don’t be afraid to bring some hygiene items along in case of mishaps. If it’s a video interview, try to choose a professional location at your house or in a shared office space to avoid any mess. Unless it’s an item you’re willing to discuss during the interview, it’s best to clear any sort of clutter or probable distractions. Additionally, it can be helpful to log in early to the conferencing platform on which a company wishes to conduct your interview, like Zoom or Google Meet. There can be subtle differences between each conferencing platform, so ensure you know how to toggle the mute button or blur your background, if necessary. Related: 15 Things You Should Do Before an Interview (Plus Tips)

6. Send a follow-up (when possible)

Send a thank you note to everyone you’ve interviewed with. Delivering handwritten notes may not be possible, but email is great. Use the note to emphasize why you’re right for the job and cover anything you didn’t mention during the interview. If it feels appropriate, it might also be helpful to ask for any feedback they might have. If you haven’t heard from the company within a week, consider sending a follow-up email to the hiring manager or recruiter requesting a status update. It’ll help you stay top of mind as the organization moves toward a hiring decision. If you are unable to send a follow-up, consider reaching out to another person you interviewed with to see whether there’s been any team updates. Related: How To Write a Follow-Up Letter (With Template and Example) Finding a new job may be tougher than it used to be but taking steps to stand out in a competitive field can help you find the position you want.

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