Most of us don’t think about a conscious plan for standing out.
We have learned to blend in.
But when you start a job search, you need to stand out.
That’s why I chose this tagline for TheJobClinic: “If you aren’t REMARKABLE, you’re INVISIBLE”.
Yet standing out is more than just being noticed. It’s also tied to how people perceive you, how your skills(talent) are valued and ultimately if an employer or client will respond to your business offer (resume).
In a recent interview with Entrepreneur Magazine, Robert Herjavec from the TV show Shark Tank said, “The world doesn’t reward mediocrity. You’ve got to be great at something. Nothing is ever ‘good enough.’ It’s either excellent or inferior.
Nobody cares about average. Greatness is what counts.
If you want to be successful and make a lot of money or be famous, or whatever it is that you define as success, do one thing and do it better than everyone else.”
Consider this:
- As of May 2015 there were 858 million registered websites.
- 1 million books are published annually & most authors sell less than 250 copies.
- There are 3.17 billion internet users.
- 100 billion emails are sent and received each day.
It’s easy to see why just having a website, a LinkedIn profile and posting your resume on Monster or CareerBuilder is not enough to stand out. Being remarkable is a factor of your on-going presence on the Internet, the value of content you post and your relationships (not just contacts).
Consider these options to stand out in your job search:
- Get Noticed (Before You Even Apply) by getting a referral from someone you know within a company.
- Create a remarkable online portfolio showcasing samples of your work.
- Ask key people in your job specialty to write a LinkedIn recommendation for you.
- Get the attention of hiring managers by offering a suggestion for the company related to how they can make money, save money or solve a problem.
- Schedule an informational interview (not a job interview) and have a presentation offering some great ideas for a company.
- Consider making a video to distinguish yourself from other candidates that you can send either before or after an interview.
Take a look at Katy Perry for some insights on standing out and becoming remarkable.
Focused on her music, Perry got her GED and moved to Los Angeles when she was only 17 years old. She lived in L.A. with no money, wrote bad checks and sold her clothes to pay the rent. Perry also experienced a string of disappointments before getting her big break. She was unable to find a record company willing to take heron. She was signed and then dropped by 2 major labels. She spent several years working with many producers only to find herself out on the street.
Most people in her situation would have thrown in the towel but she stood out with her drive and ambition. Katy got a day job reviewing demos at a company called Taxi to make ends meet while honing her craft.
Fast forward a few years later. Katy earned $135 million last year and grossed more than $2 million a city performing 126 shows with 75 of them overseas. She also has endorsement deals with Coty, Claire’s and Covergirl.
It seems that Robert Herjavec is right. Nobody cares about average.
Greatness is what counts. If you want to be successful at whatever you define as success, you need do one thing that is remarkable to stand out.
Today with the Internet and its on-line access to global opportunities, creative thinking and hard work can pay off for anyone who realizes that they were born to stand out.
TheJobClinic 