How To Make Your Job Application Stand Out

Do you want to know how to make sure that your application will end up in the “yes” pile? We are here to help with that! Check out our top tips for making your job applications stand out and get the attention of the recruiter and hiring manager.

Clear and Catchy Documents

First of all, remember that your CV and cover letter are the first impression you get to make on a recruiter. Making both documents clear and engaging will help them stand out and make recruiters take a second look.

CV Tips

• Clear and Easy to Scan: Ensure your CV is well-organized and easy to read. The formatting should be consistent and the information included should be clear and easy to follow.
• Infographic Format: Use infographics to present information, such as language skills, in an engaging way. This visual format will catch the recruiter’s eye and can help highlight your important skills.
• Hyperlinked Contact Information: Make it easy for recruiters to contact you by including hyperlinks in your contact details. This can be used for your email, LinkedIn profile, etc.
• Digital Formats: Consider creating your CV in another digital format as well, like a video or a personal website. While this is not necessary, it can make your application more personal and dynamic and give a better idea of who you are and what you bring to the table. You can include the link to this additional information in your CV so that recruiter’s can easily access it.

Cover Letter Tips

• Show Personality: Let your personality shine through. Your cover letter gives you a chance to put a bit more ‘you’ into your application. It acts as a sort of pre-interview where you can help the recruiter get to know you a little better before they actually invite you to the office, so make sure it shows off your style.
• Concise: Keep it brief and to the point.
• Examples of Skills and Accomplishments: Use specific examples to highlight your skills and achievements. Your CV is the place to list what you have done and learned. Your cover letter is where you can demonstrate how you got there and share examples of when you have been able to apply your skills in practice.

Check out our vlogs about Creating a Strong CV parts 1 and 2, and our vlog about Creating a Catchy Cover Letter for more tips!

Certifications, Training, and Unique Experiences

While certifications aren’t everything and employers in the Netherlands are often looking for “the right fit” even more than for a specific set of degrees, it can still help you to show off the official qualifications and unique skills you have to your advantage.

Showcase Your Accomplishments

• Official Certifications: Highlight any relevant certifications or technical knowledge you have. Make sure to show your accomplishments. Official certificates or technical knowledge look great and can show both what skills you have and that you are committed to improving yourself. List the programs you have mastered (i.e. Microsoft Word, SAP, coding languages, etc.) under the hard skills section in your CV and list completed certification programs under the education header to give the recruiter a good idea of your current qualifications.

• Continuous Improvement: Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing learning and skill development. Including continuing education courses, especially those that are related to the position, on your CV will show your motivation. This can be especially relevant if you have a gap in your work experience and can show your continued improvement through courses taken during that time. Showing that you have continued working on improvement throughout your career and have gained new skills will help potential employers want to give your application a second look. Ongoing training gets a big thumbs up from recruiters!

• Unique Experiences: Your specific experiences and accomplishments make your application unique and can help to highlight the skills and achievements that you may not have received a diploma for. Stand out by showcasing unique projects you have worked on (i.e. leading a company-wide software transition or participating on a special sustainability committee) or special accomplishments you have (i.e. salesperson of the year, go-to person for internal process questions, etc.). This demonstrates how you have been able to put a wide range of skills into practice, and gives your potential employer an idea of your interests and versatility. Plus, it gives you a great topic to discuss in more detail during an interview.

Communication Style

Your communication style can significantly impact how you are perceived during the hiring process. Here are some communication tips to help you navigate through interactions with recruiters and hiring managers smoothly.

Tips for Professional Communication

• Professionalism: Always maintain a professional tone. How you present yourself is important. At times the process may be frustrating, but remember that you are communicating with a person on the other side, so treat them like one. Maintaining respect in your communication throughout the entire process goes a long way in getting the same respect back.
• Timeliness: Respond to emails, calls, and messages promptly, ideally within 24 hours. This way you will stay up to date and the process will move more quickly. Plus, it shows the recruiter and hiring manager that you are motivated to move forward with the position.
• Enthusiasm: Keep your motivation and enthusiasm evident throughout your interactions. If you are excited about the position or really enjoyed an interview make sure to let them know.

• Flexibility: Be adaptable and flexible where possible. Sometimes an interview will need to be moved due to a scheduling change, or more information will be needed for a certain step in the process. Feel free to ask questions and receive clarity when this happens, but if you are able to be flexible then go for it. This automatically makes a good impression and gives you a chance to show your communication and transferrable skills in action.

Language Fluency

In an international market, like the one we have here in the Netherlands, the languages you speak can be a huge asset, so use them!

Highlight Your Language Skills

• Professional Level of Fluency: It is very helpful to recruiters when you clearly note any languages you can use in a professional setting on your CV, and make sure to include your level of fluency. A great way to do this is with a visual representation (i.e. 4 out of 5 stars) or by using the CEFR levels (i.e. A1, A2, B1, etc.).
• Market knowledge: If in addition to speaking the language you also have knowledge of a certain market you should include it on your CV. Some of this may be obvious in where you have worked previously, but if it is not clear then it doesn’t hurt to highlight it. When the company is looking for someone who will work with a specific market then letting them know that you speak the language AND have experience in the market is going to give you a great advantage.

• Learning New Languages: Learning a new language (especially Dutch) can also be a great addition to your skills. Sharing your ambition to master the language of the Netherlands with your potential employer can help you stand out as well because it demonstrates your commitment, ambition, and long-term vision.

Make Use of Social Media

Social media is a powerful tool for job seekers. In recent years it has been gaining even more momentum and is becoming a significant source for employers to find and assess job seekers. Spicing up your social media to support your job search is a great way to take a leap ahead in the race.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the most popular and important social media platform to use when you are looking for a job. Make sure your profile is professional, complete, and that all of the information is up to date and in line with your CV. You can also view and apply for positions through LinkedIn jobs and network with HR managers and recruiters via LinkedIn connections, messaging, and events. Making sure you are visible to recruiters and proactively expanding your network on LinkedIn is a great way to get noticed and find your next challenge.

Personal Branding

Of course, there are many other social media channels you can use in your job search. We will not go into all of them here, but there are some general tips you can keep in mind when you are creating your social media strategy.

• Consistent Brand: Figure out your personal style and make sure it is reflected on your CV, social media, and across any digital platforms you use. If a potential employer takes a look at your online footprint it is great for the consistency to shine through so that they can get a clear idea of who you are.
• Private Profiles: Of course, we can imagine that you want some social media to be reserved for being, well, social. You might not want to use every platform for networking or highlighting your work experience and we get that. In that case, our social media marketeer would advise an easy solution - just make your profile private.

To learn more about how to use social media to assist you in finding a new job, check out this webinar presented by our in house social media experts that really dives into the topic.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, the goal is to get that eagerly-awaited interview invite call. Using all these tools to make sure the hiring manager gets to know your personality and sees your skills and accomplishments at first glance is the best way to stand out in the application process and to ensure that you end up in a position and company that is the best fit for you. So go put these tips into action and make that happen!