Regardless of your field, the job market is a competitive and cut-throat place. Getting through the first round of eliminations is difficult enough, and that’s before you are invited to interview. Many people don’t make it to the interview phase.

Being successful in the recruitment process is a skill in itself. Part of this is down to arming yourself with skills and qualifications that will give you the edge. Many of these don’t appear in job descriptions.

1. Creating A Successful Personal Brand

How is your personal brand looking? If you’re not sure what this is, it’s time to do some Googling. Successful people are adept at creating a professional and engaging brand. If you type their name into the search engines, you won’t find drunken pics from student holidays posted up on Facebook. Or, half completed social media profiles. You’ll find a consistent online presence. They are likely to have a personal website or hub, linking to other online profiles. Whichever profile you access, the information will be well thought out and current. Photographs will look natural but will be professional. Their attributes and qualifications will be apparent. Testimonials and endorsements from individuals and businesses will also be apparent.

If your personal brand is looking less than tip-top, start with the following:

• Google yourself and see what comes up
• Take steps to remove or untag yourself from content that may be deemed unprofessional
• Tidy up your privacy settings on personal data you don’t wish to share
• Complete your social media profiles in full, especially LinkedIn
• Obtain smart headshots for each profile
• Present a consistent message throughout
• Create a personal website or simple online hub, linking to your online profiles
• Network and engage with other industry professionals

2. Professional Networking

How are your networking skills? When was the last time you went to a networking event? What was the last industry seminar or conference you attended? If you’re scratching your head trying to remember, it’s time to adjust your mindset. Being aware of industry issues, new advances, and recent trends is indispensable. You need to immerse yourself in that environment.

There is an art to networking. It’s not about ruthless self-promotion. It’s about getting to know people, sharing and building contacts. Becoming known in your industry is extremely useful. Somewhere down the line, a contact of a contact will reach out with an opportunity. It takes time and patience to build up a network. And you need to be persistent so that when an opening arises, your name is top of the list. One way of making a lasting impression is to invest in good quality printed materials. This could be business cards, brochures, or flyers, etc. Become adept at creating your own to get out your message. Adobe InDesign training will provide you with the skills you need to create a range of marketing materials.

3. Being A Creator And Curator

Much of what we do each day takes place online. Once you have your profiles in place, you need to engage with your followers. To do this, you need to create meaningful and helpful content such as photographs, infographics, and articles. Brush up your skills in this area.

Even the most dedicated social networker won’t be able to create enough content to share continually. This is where your curator skills come in. Become adept at finding and sharing relevant content.

If you don’t possess these skills already, it’s time to take action. Because if you don’t, your competitors certainly will.