Are You Breaking These Rules?

In fiercely competitive job markets, job seekers who simply submit an application or resume and then wait for a call rarely stand out. Smart job seekers know they must do more to gain the interest of hiring managers, and they're not afraid to use nontraditional job search methods to get noticed. Break these common job search rules to make a powerful impression and increase your chance of getting hired.

Avoid Contacting Hiring Managers

Submitting an application, resume and cover letter to a hiring manager is just one step in your job search process. Smart job seekers know they shouldn't stop there. Instead of sitting around and waiting for a response, contact the person in charge of hiring. Recruiters typically leave contact information in the job posting, so use that to your advantage. Call within a few days of submitting your documents. Introduce yourself, inquire about your application and ask about the interview process. You can also send a brief email or LinkedIn message to the recruiter. Contacting the hiring manager might seem bold, but if you maintain your professionalism and express your enthusiasm about working for the company, you're likely to leave a memorable impression.

Only Apply For Advertised Positions

Smart job seekers don't limit themselves by only applying for advertised jobs. Perform extensive research to determine if your experience and unique skill set can take your dream company to the next level. If so, craft a detailed job description, create a detailed plan of action and submit this information to the department head or CEO. Organizational leaders regularly create new positions based on the company's growing needs. As a smart job seeker, you can help with this task by clearly explaining how you can fill a gap in the workforce or solve a specific problem to improve the company's overall operation. Taking this initiative is sure to impress company leaders, especially if you have something significant to bring to the table. Even if creating a new position is not in the company's budget, the impression you make might prompt them to make some changes.

Use Standard Resume Language and Formatting

Resume writing experts generally frown on using first-person pronouns, such as "I" or "we," in resumes and cover letters, but according to Forbes contributor Liz Ryan, smart job seekers break this rule often to create a human-voiced resume. Recruiters are often faced with the mind-numbing task of reading hundreds of boring resumes that almost sound robotic. Human-voiced resumes that tell a story are a welcome change and likely to gauge the interest of recruiters. Step outside the box by writing about your experiences in first person. Make the language easily digestible, as if you're speaking to a friend. Ryan suggests expressing your personality and telling your unique story to stand out from other applicants.

Smart job seekers know it's important to think outside the box to draw the attention of hiring managers. Approach your job search boldly and creatively while maintaining a high level of professionalism to ensure you get noticed and stand out among the job-seeking crowd.

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