As the semester comes to a close, students are feverishly filling out applications and submitting resumes to potential internship opportunities, hoping to land their dream jobs. After frequenting LinkedIn groups religiously, the same questions seem to pop up, and there’s one theme that seems present across all forums: how to stand out as a candidate.
Be Innovative
I’ve come to conclusion that it’s all about branding yourself, as if you are selling a product for others to purchase. Ultimately, you are the product and you want potential employers to buy into your brand. So what are some effective ways to develop your brand? We know the obvious social media etiquette- whether it’s on Facebook, Tumblr, or Twitter, your privacy settings and the information you choose to post can ultimately have a negative effect on the way you’re perceived. But fixing your social media reputation alone isn’t going to make you stand out as a candidate.
You’ve completed your resume to perfection and personalized your cover letter, but so has everyone else. What can you do to give yourself a one-up on your competition? Get LinkedIn, literally and figuratively. Truly develop your social media sites as a platform, where each one tells a story about you. Whether, it’s a blog or professional website, take time to develop each one of these. Present a detailed description of yourself, highlighting your accomplishments and character traits. It’s like writing your own recommendation letter; people love talking about themselves and this is the opportunity to do so.
Not much of a blogger? Develop a personal website that can act as a virtual resume and send employers a link to this, instead of another attachment they have to download. Employers will notice and appreciate the time and effort you’ve put into developing your personal brand.
Not much of a writer? Create a video resume. Video resumes have become one of the more popular topics of conversation when it comes to the job industry, and they’re easy to create. Instead of reviewing resumes on paper, with words and descriptions that don’t give them a chance to see your personality, they could just view your video resume. It’s the perfect opportunity to not only highlight your accomplishments, but show off elements of your personality.
However, if you’re still looking for ways to stand out as an applicant and set yourself apart from the large competitive pool of applicants, visit the Vanderbilt Career Center. Giving advice about resumes and cover letters is their job, and they’re ultimately here to help you succeed. Schedule an appointment and get to know a career advisor on a personal basis, and soon enough you’ll have opportunities coming your way.