A surprising number of things can happen in six seconds. In this amount of time, one could make a Vine video, scan the highlights of a website, make a first impression, or ride a bucking bronco in a competitive rodeo. It’s also the amount of time a hiring manager spends looking at a resume. With the seconds ticking by, it’s critical for potential candidates to have a solid plan to showcase their skills and unique qualities in the most expedient manner.
Start with the Basics
Submitting a resume or application is the first step in showing interest for a particular position, but beyond the required skills, experience and education, a hiring manager is also looking for what sets a candidate apart. From this perspective, finding the right candidate is like piecing together a complex puzzle that includes transferable skills, personality and creativity, and a strong cultural fit with the company.
A big determinate in this is seeing a candidate’s level of knowledge about the position and the company. Considering the variety of options available for research, there’s no excuse for not being prepared. The internet is one of the best resources for digging deep into how a company outwardly portrays itself on its website and the individual employee roles critical to its day-to-day operation.
LinkedIn in particular is a treasure trove of information about current and past employees. Use it to check out the profile of the person you’ll be interviewing, their posts, groups or communities they belong to, as well as the skills and abilities highlighted in the recommendations they write. Each of these elements provides important clues as to what’s professionally important to the individual as well as the company they work for.
Places to start internet research
- Professional groups and affiliations
- YouTube company videos
- Google press releases and other news-worthy items
- Facebook and Twitter posts and connections
Demonstrate Uniqueness
With such a short amount of time to make an impression, candidates must showcase the most applicable skills and experience on a resume and in-person. Don’t assume a hiring manager will make the relevant connections. Instead, highlight them up front. This is particularly important when demonstrating how current or past skills translate into the job. Drawing attention to memberships in related professional groups or volunteer positions can also be a great way to demonstrate a connection with a department or company.
Show you’re a Team Player
The importance of fitting into the company culture is swiftly becoming just as important as possessing the relevant job skills and demonstrating a connection with the company cause(s) or mission. With this in mind, a hiring manager will be looking for examples of this in a resume, professional affiliations, and how a candidate conducts themselves in an interview.
These days, thorough preparation and research are critical to a job search, particularly when time is brief to make a first impression. This includes showcasing skills in the best possible manner while still remaining true to the person you are. Remember a hiring manager guides the process, but it’s also important candidates always remain cognizant of the importance of demonstrating their skills, genuine desire for the position, and fit within the company culture.
As a top Kansas City recruiting firm since 1988, Austin Nichols Technical Search has served clients in a variety of fields. Austin Nichols specializes in direct hire and contract recruiting for manufacturing, construction, engineering, and technical positions.
