How To Make Your Dream Employer Notice You [4 Smart Ways]

Standing out from the crowd is not always easy, especially if academically you’re pretty average. There is always a plethora of younger, brainier, prize-winning ‘cream of the crop’ types vying for the best jobs – so why would an employer notice your application? Here’s some top-tips to help get your application considered…

1. Get Online

When did you last Google yourself or try to find your profile on Linkedin? If you’re seriously hunting for a job you should be regularly checking and maintaining your online persona. It should be complete, relevant and consistent between platforms.

You wouldn’t send a recruiter a half finished resume, so make sure that you’ve carefully completed your online profile. By filling out each section you’re maximising your chances of showing up in search results. Don’t just talk about what you’ve done…reveal where you want to be! E.g. If you’re interested in moving into a specific industry or sector mention it on your profile and be as specific as you can (without closing doors for yourself): “Looking for marketing/sales, product development roles for SMEs & fast growing enterprises within Tech/Media sector”

Things to avoid: Vague un-inspiring statements expressing only the benefits for you and not the recruiter: “my aim is now to find a role in the corporate world suitable for building on my skills and experience”

There are hundreds of platforms, networks & forums where you can create a profile. Perhaps choose 3 or 4 to host your profile to start with. Choose 1 large professional networking website, choose 2 niche forums or networks relevant to you and 1 other ‘personal outlet’ (e.g. a blog or twitter profile). All social profiles should be kept private.

2. Get Networked

Do you know the names of the hiring manager, recruiter, HR team at your dream company? You can easily find their professional profiles on professional networking sites. Do a quick people search and send them an introductory message to get connected. You can see which networks they’re in, and other profiles they’re connected with…and if they’ve got any status updates or comments announcing what type of candidates they’re looking to recruit!

All of these things will help you when writing a cover letter or prospective email. Also, it helps put your profile right under their noses…and if you’re profile is good enough maybe they’ll just invite you for an interview!

Further reading at How To Build a Brilliant Professional Network in College.

3. Get Creative

Obviously this comes more naturally to some, but being creative can poll-vault your average application right onto the laps of a recruiter. There’s the guy who created a website dedicated to asking ‘Google please hire me’, or the girl one who personally delivered a beautiful hand-made parcel containing their resume right to the desk of the CEO of a multi-national. Both worked but only because both were relevant, well planned & executed effectively.

But things can get carried away – heat sensitive resume paper that changes colour when touched… Seems a ‘touch’ desperate perhaps? If you want to do something wacky gauge your market carefully, perhaps try to find others already working within that company or industry and check their reactions to your plan, then make sure you implement it perfectly.

4. Get In-demand

When hiring someone it always is a plus point if they’re ‘in-demand’ – do they have other interviews or job offers on the table? The best people always do…so make sure that you’re courting a number of dream companies instead of just targeting one! Aim for your dream company (of course) but also consider their major industry competitors. You could ‘follow’ all the company profiles and take an active interest in industry news. When you score an interview make sure the interviewer knows you’re being shortlisted or offered roles with their competitors – it’ll make you irresistible!

More ideas at Personal Branding: Blending In To Stand Out.

Sian Fleming Jones is one of the directors at BusinessBecause.com – a website dedicated to connecting people before, during and after their MBA. On BusinessBecause there’s loads of MBA jobs and information about the MBA job market including an editorial series completely dedicated to getting the inside view on top jobs. Follow BusinessBecause on Twitter @businessbecause.

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Continuing education sustains competitive advantage of businesses

Continuing education is a key strategy many companies use to equip their employees with new skills and knowledge. According to a 2011 study by Dr. Divina M. Edralin, a company usually spends around P1.2 million annually for training and development.

Why spend on training and development?

For many companies, it’s a question of not only survival, but also maintaining the so-called competitive advantage, or that which makes a company better than, or at the very least, comparable to, its competitors. In a fast-paced global economy filled with flux and folly, a company must be ready to adapt at any moment. And this is where training and development comes in as a strategy.

The study cites improving work performance, enhancing creativity and problem -lving skills, as well as developing employee capability to contribute in enabling organizational flexibility to adapt to change. These are some of the reasons why companies choose to train their employees. With a well-trained workforce, an organization can more easily retain its edge, allowing the company to perform at its best......

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Important Role of Female Small Business Owners

While opinions are strong—and they vary—one thing all should be able to agree on is that entrepreneurship and business ownership are good things for women. In fact, if recent research is any indication, more women entrepreneurs is a good thing for everyone in the community: men andwomen.

Let'stake a look at the numbers: There are more than 10 million businessesowned by women, employing more than 13 million people and generating $1.9 trillion in sales. Not only that, women-led businesses are one of the fastest growing types of the small businesses—a rare bright spot in today's sluggish economy. The number of women-owned businesses increased nearly 60 percent since 1997. Lastly, according to the National Association of Women Business Owners' (NAWBO) 2013 State of Women-Owned Businesses Survey, 2013 looks to be the "Year of the Female Entrepreneur," with women business owners' optimism at high levels (81 percent) on the opportunities that lie ahead.

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A Multi-Million-Dollar Idea Born on Bed Rest while pregnant

As the chief executive officer of a multi-million dollar jewelry design company and an active philanthropist, Kendra Scott's work never stops. But when you ask this busy woman how she describes herself, she doesn't hesitate in saying, "I'm a mom first."

"I created a company that allowed me to be a mom and that was my number one priority from day one," Scott said..............

"Mompreneur" Scott came up with the idea for Kendra Scott Design about a decade ago. On bed rest while pregnant with her first son, she began tinkering with gems and making jewelry. The bold idea struck her to create her own collection. 

"I really felt like there was a white space in the market in the jewelry industry. There was very, very overpriced things that I couldn't afford at the time or very inexpensive, cheaply made that kind of fell apart when you bought it," Scott said.

A longtime fashion lover, Scott at 19 launched an online hat company called "The Hat Box," along with two retail stores in Austin, Texas. After five years, the challenges of the business proved too much and she moved on.

She decided to roll the dice again in 2002 with jewelry.

At the time she was a first-time mom with a newborn baby and a husband, who was out of work. Despite those odds, she withdrew $500 from her bank account to buy some stones and make her own jewelry. She bet on herself and created Kendra Scott Design out of the spare bedroom in her Austin home. 

"I can't tell you how many times I was told 'no.' I can't tell you how many times people said, 'Oh you'll never make it. There's so many jewelry designers out there,' " Scott said.

She first convinced local stores to carry her designs. After years of pounding the pavement, she gained traction and caught the attention of major department stores such as Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's.

Her jewelry today is sold at more than a 1,000 boutiques worldwide. Celebrities such as Cameron Diaz, Eva Longoria and Sofia Vergara have donned her designs. With seven boutiques across the U.S. including its flagship Austin, TX store, her small business has grown to 125 people.

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Policies for youth employment: A global framework to tackle the youth jo...

The current jobs crisis has hit young people especially hard. The ILO urges policy makers to work together with social partners to address this alarming situation. The 2013 edition of the ILO's Global Employment Trends for Youth report analyses a number of key policies and action that can be taken. Gianni Rosas, coordinator of the ILO Youth Employment Programme and co-author of the Report, calls for "a strong focus on growth and jobs, including through a more coordinated macroeconomic response at national and global levels".