Happy New Year! Wow, 2019 is officially a thing of the past. Time is flying by and with the new year comes one of the most popular times to hire. This January, we’re kicking off the New Year with a brand new blog series titled “New Year, New Decade, New Trends.” We are so excited to share brand new content with you as we enter 2020 together. Today, we’re talking about staying competitive. Remember our blog from October about the best time to hire? Here’s an excerpt about hiring during the first of the year:

Across the board, on sites such as TopResume, CareerSidekick, The Balance Careers, Glassdoor, and Workpolis, January is the peak time to fill that new position. Common reasons for this trend is the slow month of December as well as leaving peak-holiday season. TopResume says that “these are the months most companies receive updated budgets and sales forecasts. Executives have a better idea of what they need and whether they can afford to hire new team members.” Although January can start slowly for some companies, by the middle of the month into February, applications and job postings are booming.

Since January is such a huge month for hiring, the market becomes saturated with jobs, applications, and competition. It’s hard to stand out in a crowd of thousands even if you’re an awesome fit! If you’re worried about your potential, check out our tips for staying competitive in a flooded job market!

• Be Up to Date on Trends- One major way to really stay competitive is to be knowledgeable about what’s hot and what’s not. No matter the market you’re in, knowing what’s trending and what’s relevant is crucial to impressing your interviewer and also expanding your knowledge base on a particular field...especially if it’s a field you’re interested in. Trends change everyday and sometimes it feels like as soon as you learn one trend, another appears to take its place. So, do your research, read a lot, and be prepared to learn, learn, learn!

• Promote Adaptability- Adaptability is something many people don’t have and can’t utilize. By promoting your talents of adaptation, you’re a shoe in ahead of the competition. Along with adaptability comes willingness - a willingness to assist, learn, grow, and work hard can be tough to come by and by promoting that on your Resume, CV, and in your interview, you will definitely make a great impression.

• Provide the Best Version of Your Resume Possible- Resume writing is a skill that every business professional should have. It’s a vital piece of information about your work history that can either help you stand out amongst the competition or can severely hinder you from incredible job prospects. Often times, recruiters and hiring managers stumble across a resume or two that has all of the potential but is executed in such a way that displays sloppiness, disorganization, and grammatical errors that immediately deters them away from said resume. You must keep in mind, that this document is your ice-breaker for the hiring managers or recruiters and even though you may be great, if your resume isn’t, you won’t stand a chance.

• Never Burn Bridges- Once you make a connection, whether it be in person or on LinkedIn, keep up with it. Just like any relationship, you have to breathe life into it for it to stay afloat. Making the initial connection is great but if you aren’t engaging and being a valuable connection, the possibility of that relationship going anywhere worth while for you or for the other person for that matter, dwindles every single day. We’re not saying you have to message this person every single day, but something as simple as interacting on LinkedIn or calling every once in awhile to check in is a huge way to keep those connections relevant. On the flip side of the same coin, as much as it’s important to nurture current relationships, it’s just as important to make new ones. Your network becomes stagnant and stale and you stop becoming relevant and you never grow--it’s as simple as that. You never want to burn a bridge, gossip, berate, or embarrass yourself or previous employers/connections. Obviously, there are some circumstances where you leaving for a better opportunity burns a bridge...that’s tough. If that happens, maintain truthful about the details of the situation and always try to leave, resign, quit, etc. with dignity. You never want a potential employer contacting your burned bridge - that won’t bode well for anyone...

• Invest in Learning a New Language- No matter where you are in the world, you won’t ever find yourself regretting a new language! Seriously, whether you’re in the states or abroad, there are always so many different people, from different backgrounds, languages, cultures, beliefs, etc. that it’s hard sometimes to efficiently communicate, even when you try your hardest. If you find yourself in a region where multiple languages are spoken, consider expanding your language knowledge and learn another! For example, if your native tongue is English and you live in an area where Spanish is widely spoken - it can’t hurt to at least be able to read Spanish. We see job postings all the time look for bilingual applicants and so many times it’s tough to fill those positions because so many people are limited to one language. While that’s fine, if you’re really wanting that competitive edge, it may be worth it to look into broadening your foreign vocabulary! It’s an investment in your professional future.

• Networking - When you enter the business world, your network tends to start small and as you grow through the ranks, your network should grow with you. People you meet in certain settings whether it be professionally or personally are apart of a unique network. For example, your current co-workers are apart of your professional network. Groups such as sports teams, clubs, musical groups, etc. are all personal networking connections. Check out this quote from TopResume: “Experts agree that the most connected people are often the most successful. When you invest in your relationships — professional and personal — it can pay you back in dividends throughout the course of your career. Networking will help you develop and improve your skill set, stay on top of the latest trends in your industry, keep a pulse on the job market, meet prospective mentors, partners, and clients, and gain access to the necessary resources that will foster your career development.” Let’s face it, the hiring process can be extremely political and sometimes it’s all about who you know...so, make those connections and build a strong, solidified, reliant network.

• Articulate your Value- When you’re applying for a job, sometimes you have to vouch for yourself! Your resume and cover letter are the best outlets to humbly brag about how awesome you are. You have to advocate for yourself and your “brand”. By establishing a brand that’s your own, you’re articulating your value in a way that’s deliberate, effective, and professional. Check out this excerpt on branding from our blog titled: 3 Ways to Effectively Market Yourself to Hiring Managers:

  “If you Google Search “ways to market yourself to job posters” like I just did… you’ll see mention of “branding” across many sites. It’s interesting to consider establishing a brand that’s your own but it’s important and can really help set you apart from the competition. But what does this mean? Start simple. You can begin to establish a brand through social media. For example, Instagram - maybe you’re a creative looking for an outlet. Use your feed. Today, it’s so popular to have a cohesive profile whether there’s one color, theme, or style. While the more artistic types can probably have a bit more fun with this, it’s attainable for corporate workers too. One easy way you can start doing so is choosing a color you want to correlate to your brand. I’ve seen influencers use the color red often or they pick a color scheme like white and black. It’s your brand so all of the choices are yours. Once you decide what you want your brand to look like, it’s time to now decide who you want to align your brand with. If you’re into technology, following and interacting with Bill Gates or Elon Musk would be a great place to start. See what they’re posting, who they’re following, and also who’s following them. Find relevance. Don’t force a brand where it doesn’t make sense. It’s obvious when someone is trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Then, once you’ve found your niche, ask yourself “what do I bring to the table that no one else does?” It may be hard, but if you can think of one to two key differentiators, you’re golden. Once you decide your angle, it’s time to run with it. Commit. That way you can really hone in on the job you want and the job you don’t and can effectively direct you in the right direction.”

What are other ways you maintain your competitive edge? Let us know in the comments! If you need help hiring, check out our Services page to see how ApplicantOne can alleviate your hiring woes.