How to Stand out in an Interview

Specialist recruiters meet a lot of job seekers who have a very similar level of skills experience, so how do you stand out so your recruiter will get excited representing you? It is something that I think about when I leave an interview and I can’t wait to tell my team about a job seeker and what makes them so special. It’s not necessarily what’s on paper – its what’s not in your resume that I want to know about.

Presentation

This doesn’t just include a tidy dress; your body language is very important also. Instead of sitting slouched down in your chair with your arms folded, make sure you are sitting up straight, open and inviting. Use hand gestures and expressions, you don’t want to look stiff and rigid

Great Energy

Your energy can be contagious so if you are smiling, laughing and showing your excitement about previous projects or jobs you have had. This is all projected across to your recruiter. Be confident, you know what you can do, and we want to hear it.

Engaging

We know what is in your CV, so tell us about some things that may not be in there, such as your accomplishments and achievements. Provide specific examples and why they particularly stand out to you. Don’t be afraid to speak about projects that you may not have been so successful with; if you explain what went wrong and how you would do things differently, it tells a lot about your character. How you learn from your mistakes, so you won’t make the same one twice.

Reputable Employers

When we see well-known employers listed on a resume, it does make us look twice. Showcase your employment, how you fitted in with the team and give specific examples of how you were able to add value.

Your next move

When you know what you want in your career, it leads the conversation and demonstrates that you have thought about your next role and how you want to progress, what your salary expectations are and what types of employers you want to target.

It can be a little tricky if you are attending a few interviews, to then go into autopilot but remember to tailor your interview approach for each interview. Choose some key points of why they stood out to you prior to your meeting and that will lead to some discussion points and questions.