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With job vacancies decreasing by nearly 14% since 2024, and the candidate pool turning into a candidate ocean thanks to remote working, it’s a tough market out there. It’s becoming increasingly important to know how to stand out in a job search and how to prove your worth as efficiently as possible.
We’ve put together this guide to help you make the most of your applications and grab that hiring manager’s attention.
How Do I Stand Out in a Job Search?
The average number of applications per job in the UK is 44, but this number jumps to 175 for retail jobs, 163 for media, and 152 for science and tech.
How do you get noticed in this sea of applications? Here are some top tips:
- Customise, customise, customise — One of the biggest mistakes applicants make is to send out the same CV and cover letter for every job. Instead, tailor your CV for the role you want. Highlight responsibilities or achievements that are relevant to the position you’re applying for. Edit your cover letter so it puts your most applicable skills first.
- Network — It’s often not enough to fire off an application and wait to hear back. Being proactive can go a long way to making you stand out. Connect with the hiring manager on LinkedIn or engage with the company on social media. Just make sure to keep any communications brief and to the point. Pestering a recruiting team will likely have the opposite effect to the one you’re after.
- Demonstrate commitment — Is there a course or additional training you can undertake that’s relevant to your role? How about volunteering positions or adjacent hobbies? These are all great ways to show you’re committed to your career outside of checking the normal boxes.
- Be prepared — It’s no good going to tons of effort on your application only to find yourself unprepared when a potential employer offers you that initial chat. You can’t prep for meetings with every job you apply for. However, you can make sure your general interview skills are up to scratch for when the time comes. Check out our complete guide to nailing the interview for more tips.
How Do I Prove My Worth (Without Overnegotiation)?
It can be tricky to find the balance between knowing your worth and talking yourself out of your dream job. Here’s how to use your application to prove that you deserve the higher end of that salary bracket — and how to avoid overnegotiation.
- Add quantifiable results — It’s all very well and good telling a recruiter or hiring manager what you can do, but showing them is much more effective. Employ data in your CV or cover letter to demonstrate your achievements. Give them a taste of how you can boost team productivity, earnings, or impact. It’ll make it much easier for them to justify why you’re worth your desired salary.
- Be market aware — Before you fill out that ‘Expected Compensation’ box on the application, make sure to research salaries for your industry and level, as well as maintain an awareness of the job market at large. That way, you have a clear idea of what’s fair and reasonable.
- Consider the whole package — Find out what’s on offer besides the money. Having a good idea of which benefits, opportunities, and working patterns you want will help you properly evaluate a salary offer.
- Hone negotiation skills — Just like you would for a job interview, prepare for negotiations in advance. Research and practise these skills to make sure you can advocate for yourself without overnegotiating your way into a rejection.
Let Us Help You Stand Out
DB Charles offers personal and specialist recruitment support, from CV clinics to application advice. Get in touch to find out more about how we can put your skills in the spotlight.`
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