Have a dream career in sight? Know what you want out of the next job role, but you want to know how to get through the candidate journey? Read on to know the 10 things to do to catch a recruiter’s attention and you should be on your way to landing that dream job!
As a prospective job seeker, one of the recurring thoughts in the minds of prospective job seekers is how do we catch the attention of a recruiter. Additionally, we are left pondering over what does it really take to make one’s candidature stand out? Well, we reached out to the Deloitte India (Offices of the US) Talent Acquisition lead for the Risk & Financial Advisory business, Manoj GNV, and found out his advice for candidates looking to catch a recruiter’s attention. Here is what he has to share.
1. Know your strength areas
It all starts with you, understanding your strengths, weaknesses and your unique skill set. Are your strengths in sync with your career aspirations? What are the prospective roles that can help you fulfill your career aspiration? When sifting through prospective career opportunities, it is best to align your search for roles with your goals, interests and skill set—what is it that you want to do and what is it that you are good at. Additionally, it is equally important to understand the ask of the role from the recruiter. Once you’ve established an understanding, go ahead and be prepped with the ability to convince the recruiter that you have the capability and competency as per the role’s requirements. Let the role somewhere align with your career goals.
2. Do a fitment check
As a best practice, apply for roles that match your skill set; it is best to steer clear of applying for roles half-heartedly, especially if you don’t know if you are suited for the role.
3. Get to know about the organization
It is important to gain some understanding about the organization. What are its line of businesses, what is the trajectory of the industry, where does the role fit in the bigger picture and whether the role aligns with your career aspirations. It is also advisable to understand your personality fit with that of the organization. For example, is the organization fast paced? Do you resonate with the nimbleness and agility of the organization?
4. Find out about the culture
It is equally imperative to understand the culture of the organization and whether you would be able to carry your ‘original’ self to work. What are the ethos and fundamentals that define the organization’s culture, whether its underlying principles echo with what you stand for and that you would be comfortable adapting to the organization’s culture.
5. Customize your resume
Ready your resume in a manner that attracts the recruiter’s attention. Chances of your resume being shortlisted are higher when you showcase your strengths in a way that aligns with the asks of the role. It is advisable to customize your resume for every role, showcasing your fitment and strengths, thereby avoiding standardization.
6. Make it a two-way conversation with the recruiter
Do your groundwork, get to know more about the recruiter. Building a rapport increases your favorability for the role. Therefore, aim to let the discussion be more like a conversation, thereby avoiding making it sound like an interview.
7. Find common connects in the organization
It helps when the recruiter gets to know of your inclination to join the organization. Finding common connections and exploring more about the organization creates a favorable impression in the eyes of the recruiter.
8. Be interview-ready
Depending on the type of interview, telephonic or face to face, it acts in your favor to follow basic hygiene. For a telephonic interview, be in a quiet space where there is no disturbance. Similarly, for an in-person interview, it helps to be comfortably dressed and let your attire be in sync with the corporate dress code—you can to get to know this by finding out about the organization’s culture.
9. Share relatable examples from work
Interviews are usually time bound—it's prudent to briefly and succinctly explain projects. Highlight the relevant points and help the recruiter understand your skills and work profile. Be open to the idea of sharing relevant information and examples wherever possible—be aware of the information that can and cannot be shared. Hence, it's important to do your pre-work with respect to data sharing.
10. Sum up as you end the conversation
As you’re drawing your conversation to a close, be ready with a solid pitch about yourself as you sum up the conversation—end the discussion on the right note. It's best to end by setting clear expectations and expressing your wants clearly.
Learn more
If you’d like more tips to help you on the candidate journey, head over to our careers website for more information.
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About the author
Manoj GNV leads Risk & Financial Advisory’s Talent Acquisition for Deloitte India (Offices of the US). He has extensive experience in designing recruitment strategies as well as implementation of tools and platforms.