With so many people applying for the same jobs these days, it is vital to ensure that you stand out from the crowd once you’ve got your foot through the door.  Just having the right skills or experience isn’t always enough – you need to prove your worth to the company, too. Workforce development specialist TCHC has some suggestions:

1.  Always be professional with a prospective employer, from the moment you send in your CV right up until after you have been interviewed.  Your conduct will be evaluated by the company throughout the process, both formally and informally.

2. Ensure you look the part.  Chipped nail varnish, scuffed shoes and missing buttons might not seem important in the grand scheme of things but they may count against you when it comes to the crunch.

3. Be sure to highlight ways in which your experience will help you fulfil the job specification.  These might not always be evident to the interviewer, so it’s important to make sure he or she knows exactly why you’re right for the job.

4. Show willingness.  If your interviewer asks if you’d be willing to work overtime or from a different office on occasion, say yes!  This may be little more than a test of your character so tell the employer what they want to hear.

5. Explain how your job history shows that you are easy to manage, able to work on your own and are a good team player. Also demonstrate that you able to take direction and criticism and can deal with authority in a positive way.

6. Consider which of your attributes will put you above the other candidates. Is it your organisational skills, your problem solving ability or your cool head in a crisis?  Decide on your strengths and make the most of them.

7. Always be positive and enthusiastic in your dealings with the company. No-one wants to employ someone who will bring the rest of the team down, or create a negative working environment. So it’s important to come across as a happy character who will be an asset to their new workmates.

8. Never criticise a former employer or company in an interview situation. This will show a lack of loyalty and may make you seem bitter about previous roles. If you had issues with a former job, say you are looking for a new challenge or similar.

9. Make sure your public social media profiles don’t give away anything negative about your character. Delete anything that may be frowned upon by an employer or appear controversial – the simplest things could have a really damaging effect on their impression of you.

10. Always remember that the interviewer wants to know what you can do for them, not the other way around. If you’re highlighting one of your strengths, explain what that would mean for them if they were to employ you.

Hundreds of jobhunters have been assisted in their search by TCHC, which offers free training courses and other support. For more information, visit www.tchc.net or call 01923 698430.