How to Stand Out in a Competitive Job Market

A lot of job seekers worry about catching a hiring manager's attention. We've worked with candidates who've had linear career paths, who are often concerned about how to differentiate themselves from others with similar backgrounds. And we've helped candidates whose careers have taken some not-so-traditional turns or who are seeking major career transitions, who are afraid their experience might not translate clearly to hiring managers. 

Regardless of your previous career trajectory, the key question to ask yourself as you create your application materials and prepare for interviews is, “What are the things I would bring to the team that other people may not?" 

This is sometimes easier for nontraditional candidates to answer; when you have a varied or unusual background, you can often bring an innovative approach or prized skills that no one else currently at the company has developed. However, you'll have to make this really clear in your resume and cover letter to get the hiring manager to connect the dots, and reinforce the message in your interviews. Hiring managers take a risk when hiring someone who may have more of a learning curve, so you'll have to be clear, confident, and undeniable (and a strong referral can help a lot!).

For candidates with more obvious backgrounds, the answer to this question is more about pinpointing your specific expertise. For example, if you're a story producer looking for your next role, you'll need to figure out your angle from among the hundreds of others with great credits vying for the same role. Maybe you're applying to work on a true crime show, and you've worked on a dozen true crime shows before. Your deep experience is what would set you apart. But maybe you've worked in lots of different genres, and your value-add is that you can bring in lessons you've learned to explore new ways to tell a story and make this true crime show feel less generic to audiences. Or maybe you have another kind of experience that makes you a great fit for the role -- if you interned at a law firm, have a relative in law enforcement, are from the same part of the country the crime took place in, got your start as an archival producer, or worked on similar content like historical documentaries, you can draw from that. The unique selling points can come from any part of your professional or personal life, so think hard about what will set you apart.

No matter your background, you should take time to dig in and determine what makes you unique. As you do, consider the following questions:

• What about your upbringing and personal life has helped define your values and how you approach work?

• What experiences in your career or personal life have given you a specific perspective that you will bring to a new company?

• What are some of your key achievements that no one else can claim?

This will help you see you for the whole you and build your confidence. From there, you'll want to tell your story clearly at every touchpoint. Let your contacts know why you're pursuing the roles you're interested in, make sure your resume showcases your direct and transferable skills by including context and achievements, write a cover letter that communicates your specific expertise and your "why," and prepare interview anecdotes that allow you to demonstrate your capabilities and approach.

Keep in mind that hiring managers are looking for candidates who know what they'll bring to the table and who can clearly state their case. Don’t minimize or leave out the proof that you are capable of succeeding in the role, and don't expect the hiring manager will assume your credibility because you applied. Instead, articulate the nuances. Most candidates don't do this step because it's time consuming, but the ones that do are the ones who get hired in the right roles more quickly.