How To Stand Out if You Can’t Impress in Person (With Video)

The job market can feel difficult to navigate, especially if you have employment barriers, like gaps in your employment history. While virtual interviewing is fairly common, you may still feel that it's easier for you to communicate in person. In this article, we’ll offer tips for reaching and impressing employers virtually if you’ve typically had success getting jobs by connecting face-to-face.

How to stand out in a virtual job market

Here are a few simple ways you can stand out to employers when you can't connect directly in person:

1. Make yourself available

Being able to start working as soon as possible can make you a more desirable job candidate to employers and recruiters than someone who can’t. To find jobs available now, start with our guides:

Tara Thompson McCracken, director of the Western District of the Workforce Development Center for Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina, says, "The majority of job seekers we are working with—who often have various barriers to employment—are really ready now. They are applying now and ready to work now, which meets a lot of employers’ immediate needs. Many employers are in immediate need to hire at the local—as opposed to remote—level and this can change from day to day, which makes it a really great time for individuals with barriers to find employment.” McCracken recommends making yourself more available to work on short notice. “Make sure that you are expressing your open availability on the online application so that employers notice this right away,” she advises. You can communicate this both in your application, if applicable, as well as in your cover letter. You can also indicate your readiness to work by toggling on the “Ready to work” option in the “About me” section of your Indeed profile. Doing so alerts employers that you can start work immediately. Related: How to Write a Cover Letter

2. Review and tailor your resume

If you have potential employment barriers, ensuring your resume is up-to-date, communicative, polished and customized to the job you want is crucial. McCracken says, “To get noticed virtually, make sure all of the documents that you put out there for employers are up-to-date, accurate and look top-notch. This includes the basics like resume and online applications.” To do so, make sure your resume is:

Up to date

An updated resume and cover letter highlight your most recent and relevant skills, accomplishments and experience. Make sure you’ve included all of the credentials that make you a great fit specifically for the job you’re applying for. These might include:

Paid or unpaid jobs
Extracurricular activities
Certifications
Awards
Specialized training
Courses
Internships
Volunteer work

Include only the most recent 10-15 years of professional experience to make your resume relevant and readable. If you have more than five years of professional experience, consider removing the dates from your education section and relocating them toward the bottom of your resume. To see examples of resumes and cover letters in your field, browse our free resume samples and cover letter samples. You can also create an Indeed Resume to easily apply to jobs online with professional resume templates made specifically to suit employer preferences. Related: Guide to Updating Your Resume

Polished and professional

It is critical to proofread and review your resume to ensure it is error-free and has correct grammar, punctuation, spelling and formatting. Consider asking a trusted friend, family member or colleague to review your resume—they will likely find things you missed on your own.

Customized

McCracken says, “Although simple, many job seekers still don’t consider adjusting their resume and applications to meet the position’s needs.” Tailoring your resume shows the employer that you are interested in working for their company in particular and why you are the best fit. Most of the time, this information is not obvious from a generic template cover letter and resume: “[Resumes and cover letters] are even more important in this virtual environment since that is the first impression," says McCracken. Tailor your resume by carefully rereading the job posting. Include keywords in the skills, requirements, and job description sections that match your background. Related: How to Write a Resume Employers Will Notice

3. Strengthen and lean on your network

SilkRoad’s applicant tracking data revealed that referrals accounted for 30% of all hires overall in 2016 and 45% of internal hires. In a highly virtual world where you can’t as easily connect with people in person, it’s all the more important to know how to strengthen your network remotely. To do so, McCracken recommends both engaging in virtual networking to make new connections and tapping into your existing network through friends, family and former colleagues: “Employers like to interview and hire people who they know or people who come with a recommendation.” Let people in your life know you’re looking for work and interested in learning about new opportunities they may come across. Using your networks is a great way to get noticed and possibly move your online application to the top of the stack. Related: The Complete Guide to Networking

4. Show your personality and soft skills virtually

One of the most effective ways to win a hiring employer over is by demonstrating your personality and soft skills in-person. You can also communicate these attributes virtually. Here’s how to demonstrate the following qualities:

Detail-oriented

Ensure your resume and cover letter are free of typos, formatted correctly and easy to read. Submitting application materials that are polished and error-free also shows employers that you value professionalism.

Reliable

Show that you’re a reliable employee by being on time—if not early—for your virtual interview. Following up and promptly providing the recruiter or hiring manager with your application materials also shows you’re reliable and responsible.

Tenacious

Demonstrate your work ethic and determination by taking courses and staying up to date with continuous professional learning. Going above and beyond what the employer may be expecting of you shows tenacity, a quality any employer would like to see in a potential employee.

Enthusiastic

Employers want employees to be excited about their work. Convey your level of enthusiasm for the position by being engaged and alert during your phone and video interviews. Be on time, focus on your interviewer, make eye contact and ask questions to show that you are thoroughly involved in the conversation.

Friendly

While you won’t necessarily be able to connect in the same way you would in person, showing your personality can also easily be done virtually. Sit up straight, smile and speak clearly and confidently—you have valuable experience and qualities to offer the employer, so enter any hiring conversations with that in mind. Show the employer who you are by being genuinely interested in your interviewer, asking thoughtful questions and displaying gratitude for their consideration. Related: 18 Tips for Succeeding During Your Zoom Interview