Have you been ghosted by a recruiter? Have you sent in a resume, thinking that it just goes into a black hole? Well, we have. 😭 Every single day, millions of CVs are being sent across the internet into millions of job applications. In such a situation, we must ask ourselves, “How in the world can I stand out?”
Being our usual curious selves, we asked Gisele Ho, a Senior Talent Acquisition Manager at Klook, how job applicants can stand out. If you're a job seeker yourself, you can apply her answers when you put in your application for a role at Klook. 😉
Do you have the skills and experience?
A key part of Gisele’s job is to look for high-quality candidates that match the requirements for each specific role that’s assigned to her. The first tip is to make sure that the skills and experiences you list in your CV are aligned with the specific job description you applied to.
"The resume should clearly state and show work experience, education, skills and achievements that relate to the specific job opening or application," she explains. "Include the important keywords. For example, if we are looking for a designer with Photoshop and Indesign skills, if the candidate does not include such skills in their resume, naturally this profile would be deprioritized."
It's important to keep your resume simple and easy to read, with keywords standing out.
Recruiters receive hundreds of applications for a single opening, so a simple and easy-to-read resume will help them a lot in the screening process! "Avoid fancy fonts and lengthy resumes. Keep it to within 1-3 pages if possible," she says.
A simple resume with relevant keywords - apply both tips above and your chances of getting contacted will increase. However, there’s one basic detail that many people often leave out. "It's something basic but do remember to include your contact details like email address and contact number, and make sure they are correct.” One wrong number or letter can make you uncontactable.
Personality over anything else
Received an interview invitation from the recruiters? Congratulations! Now, you’re not only competing with other candidates on skills and past experiences, but also your communication style and personality.
You'll usually get a phone interview with the recruiter first, and Gisele says that your interest in the company and its products will be tested.
"I would usually want to find out from the candidate why they are interested in joining Klook, what is the 'pull factor'. You can gauge the candidate’s interest in the company by their answers," says Gisele.
"Rather than saying that you would like to join Klook as you are an avid traveller, tell us more. For example you might be impressed by the products offered at Klook as a consumer and you would like to be part of the Business Development team to bring onboard more interesting merchants for consumers like yourself."
Recruiters will want to know your motivations for joining the company during the first interview.
Gisele also explains that recruiters will assess if the candidate’s personality aligns with the company’s culture and core beliefs. "I would personally choose to hire the candidate with a personality that aligns with our core values, PATH, as character traits are not something you can teach whereas ability is something that can be learned on the job."
Personality will be much more important for fresh graduates who apply for entry-level roles. Limited experience or skills shouldn't be a problem for them as long as they have the willingness to learn and a great attitude.
"I have personally hired fresh graduates for our entry-level roles in the Business Development department. For entry-level roles, what the team is looking for is more on the attitude, eagerness to learn, and not so much of finding someone to plug and play," says Gisele.
After you get a nod from your recruiter, you’ll probably move on to an interview with the hiring manager(s). At this stage, they’ll be looking for candidates with stand out personalities and experience that will add to and match the existing team’s capabilities.
"Be prepared, research as much about the company and even the interviewer. Check out our blogs, we have interesting articles about the teams and even hiring managers," says Gisele.
A conducive environment with good lighting is very important for a virtual job interview
Demonstrating how you can add value to the business will definitely make you memorable to the interviewing team. "Show how you’ll add value. Use the STAR format (Situation, Task, Action, Results) to provide your answers. And because Klook is a data-driven organization, you'll stand out if you are able to use data to your advantage."
The interview is just as much of an opportunity for you to get to know the company as it is for us to get to know you. "Ask questions that would show your interest in the role and the company. You can ask anything from the hiring manager’s leadership style to what the team’s culture is like. Also, as most of the interviews are done virtually, do make sure you take the call in a conducive environment with good lighting and show your enthusiasm."
Practice these tips by applying now!
With anything in life, practice makes perfect. Now that you’ve got insider tips on how to stand out with your job application, apply them right away by checking out the available roles on Klook! With multiple openings across departments and geographies, your next career adventure may be waiting for you, right here on www.klookcareers.com.
You can find all available job opportunities right here on www.klookcareers.com
Want to know more about how we hire? Check out the detailed process here.
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Posted by Klook Careers
