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Standing Out as a Job Seeker

Written by The NSLS | November 14, 2022

TRANSCRIPT

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Bert E. Miller is a recruiter and workplace expert with 35+ years of experience. He currently serves as CEO of Protis Global and President and CEO of MRINetwork®, a recruitment organization that offers consulting, training, contract staffing, and community building.

In this episode of Motivational Mondays, Bert shares how you can stand out as a job seeker.

BERT'S THOUGHTS ON QUIET QUITTING

Bert thinks quiet quitting has been around for decades but was just recently named. Naming this phenomenon brought it recognition and forced people to take a deeper look at their careers. Are they where they want to be? Many realized they weren’t in an environment worth staying in.

TIPS TO STAND OUT AS A JOB SEEKER

There are three things that get Bert’s attention when he’s looking at a resume:

  • Where have you been?

  • What have you done?

  • How well have you done it? 

Bert wants a job seeker to articulate answers to these questions with brevity. He looks at what you’ve participated in, what your interests are, and the roles you’ve played. Conversely, if Bert sees a resume with large gaps in work history, poor grammar, etc. he’ll dismiss it.

HOW TO GET THE ATTENTION OF HIRING MANAGERS

There’s different ways to create content outside of a resume so people learn who you are. Bert emphasizes that you can create a personal brand online to attract the attention of recruiters. You can also write thought leadership articles on LinkedIn and tag hiring managers. 

Bert also says that old-fashioned phone calls still stand out. He recently interviewed a mature, articulate 24-year-old who called him directly. He didn’t wait to send a resume or email but instead, sought out a conversation. If you’re interested in a position, be proactive and do your research to learn what it takes to make yourself stand out.

THE IMPORTANCE OF LINKEDIN FOR JOB SEEKERS

If you want to be part of today’s professional workforce, you need to be on LinkedIn. If you provide information, education, and inspiration that ties to an industry, you’ll become a thought leader and stand out in that space. If you don’t have an extensive job history, you can still leverage LinkedIn.

You get to decide who you want to be online and how to communicate. People are attracted to learning. When you can provide quality informational and aspirational content, you’ll begin to build a persona as a thought leader.

Listen to this episode to learn about...

  • [0:48] How Bert decided to become a recruiter
  • [3:00] Bert’s thoughts on quiet quitting
  • [7:40] Resume tips to stand out as a job seeker
  • [9:32] When Bert will take a chance on an unconventional resume
  • [13:12] How to get the attention of hiring managers
  • [16:55] The importance of LinkedIn for job seekers
  • [22:30] Three things college students can do to stand out

Listen to the bonus episode to hear Bert’s advice on managing teams and the importance of critical thinking.

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