Recruiters have piles and piles of bad applications every day. Do some people know that they aren’t submitting their best work, and others? Well, they don’t know its bad. Ideally, we are looking to stand out. Make an impact on the reader. But you are in a sea of at least 300 or more applications for those really great career spots. Is it really worth your time to apply if you aren’t going to give it your all? No. And, it is a waste of time for the recruiter too.

Don’t be that guy.

So what can you do to stand out? And what doesn’t standing out even mean?

Skills

You’ve got plenty. So why aren’t you using them correctly? We often get stuck on our CV – what skills do we have? How are they applicable here? Think about WHY you want the job. What is it you think you could do for the company? The thing about the skills that would take. Really narrow it down. Get creative if you like. List your strongest, and then list your supporting skills. You’re aiming to show them you are well rounded and have considered this position carefully.

Cover Letter

There is no easy way to say this, but most people don't know how to write a cover letter in 2019. Why do you want the job? What can you bring to the role? What can you that other people can’t? If you're going to really poke the bear, then you can write something that might be a little controversial. Point out something that the company is facing and talk about if you got the job, how you would fix it.

This displays your knowledge of the company – which is a great thing.

Network

The quickest way into a job, is to a) have a job and b) know someone in the company. If a recruiter just isn’t giving you the access that you want. Then you should try and hook up with someone who already works there. They will be able to provide you with an insight into how the company actually works from the inside. And, potentially hand you over to the person in charge of making great hires.

A great way to start making those links is with LinkedIn. You can reach out to people – with a very polite and formal request. Be honest and see if there is a way that they would be willing to speak to you.

Portfolio

Most freelancers have impressive collections. You are going to have to put yourself up against those. Give your potential employers even more insight into your skills. Take some time to curate the impression you want to give. Make sure that your contact details are there and easy to see, so that if they want to contact you directly via your portfolio, they can.

The job market is hot, and with more companies hiring freelancers, you need to do everything you can to make the best impression.