6 Ways to Increase Your Chances of Getting a Job Interview

Professional recruiters receive a high volume of applications and resumes for each role they advertise. To be effective at their job, recruiters need to quickly — but effectively — review and evaluate these resumes to assess candidates’ potential fit, skills and experience so they can identify those who are strong matches for the job they’re looking to fill. Getting noticed by a recruiter early in the job search process can be the difference between making it to the interview stage for a job opportunity or not.

Here are six tips to help you get noticed by a professional recruiter and increase your chances of getting a job interview.

1. Take Your Time to Write a Standout Resume

To better secure your chances of getting noticed by a recruiter and landing a job interview, your resume needs to help set you apart from other candidates and showcase what makes you a strong applicant. One way to do that is crafting a standout resume that intentionally highlights your employment history and skills and considers formatting that makes the information on your resume easier to digest.

Here are some things to keep in mind when writing your resume:

• Write about your standout achievements, not just your responsibilities from roles
• Tailor your resume to the role you’re applying to and include relevant buzzwords from the job description
• Keep your resume short and relevant (keep it to one page, front and back)
• Know your key selling points and make sure they stand out
• Include an objective statement that shows what you are looking to achieve by sharing your resume, and ideally what you want to do in your career

Read more tips on how to write a resume.

2. Build a Great Relationship with Your Recruiter

Often, candidates will only engage with a recruiter when they’re looking for a new job. While it’s a recruiter’s job to find and place candidates, to really have them work on your behalf and boost your chances of securing a job interview, it is important to build a strategic partnership over time. When candidates proactively take time to establish connection points outside of just “when needed” interactions, they can form a stronger foundation.

When connecting with a recruiter, be open and honest about your skills and goals, and let them get to know you personally. Regular face-to-face or virtual meetings can help with this. A great recruiter pitches their candidates with conviction based on a good relationship and is far more likely to secure a job interview for them on that basis over someone they don’t know very well.

Don’t forget, a recruiter is often the best route to your next job so it is worth spending time building a trusted partnership that could benefit you throughout your career.

Read about more tips on building a great partnership with your recruiter.

3. Apply for Jobs That Reflect Your Skills

When applying for jobs, it’s important to set goals and push yourself out of your comfort zone so you can continue to develop professionally. However, to work in a position that allows you to excel and grow, you first must be able to articulate in an interview how your experience lends itself to the role you’re applying for.

For candidates, this is especially true as companies are often paying a premium for an individual or team and typically seek those who can “hit the ground running.” For permanent jobs, this interview tip still applies, although companies may be more open to hiring a candidate based on a good attitude and work ethic, knowing that certain skills can be learned over time, on the job or through training.

4. Secure Meaningful Employee Testimonials

Many recruiting agencies and staffing companies check “references”, but often that just means confirming with a previous employer that your job title and employment dates listed on your resume are accurate. This won’t necessarily help sell you as a person.

During the job search process, it can be helpful to have your recruiter speak to your former manager so they can gain some additional information around the role your performed and, importantly, what you accomplished, what made you stand out and what additional value you brought to the team. This information can then be shared with the hiring manager of the role you’re applying for and add further context and depth to your application.

5. Develop a Network and Leverage Your Connections

When searching for a job, the people you know are often as important as the skills you possess. With tools such as LinkedIn it can be relatively easy to network and identify mutual connections at the company you are applying to, or even better, the hiring manager themselves. By establishing connections with people who know you and can vouch for you, you’re more likely to standout and be asked to interview.

The next time you apply for a job, work in partnership with your recruiter to connect these dots. Once a link is identified, it’s about communicating the story behind this link to the hiring manager and making sure that this person (the link) will advocate for you if they’re asked.

6. Build Your Online Professional Brand

Most companies, and nearly all recruiters, will use a blend of the tools to assess and select candidates for a job interview. While your resume is likely the first place a recruiter or potential employer will look, they will often also explore other sources for validation.

According to a survey conducted by The Harris Poll, 71% of hiring decision makers will consider an applicant’s social media during hiring and according. Forbes also reports that 95% of recruiters are on LinkedIn looking for job candidates, so keeping on top of your online presence can not only help you be found, but also support build a better picture of you as a person. It’s also useful to make sure that personal pages, such as Facebook and Instagram, are set to private or that you are comfortable with this content being publicly viewed and that it doesn’t compromise your professional brand.

Read more about how learn more about how to maximize your LinkedIn profile.

Just like writing a resume, knowing how to land a job interview is more of an art than an exact science. Your resume will only get you so far — the rest comes down to your personal brand and your ability to successfully partner with your recruiter.

To contact a recruiter and begin building a partnership that will elevate your career, reach out to your local Aston Carter office today.

*This article was originally developed by Aston Carter EMEA and adapted for Aston Carter North America.