The ability to set yourself apart has become the biggest key to success when comparing yourself to the competition in the workplace. Setting yourself apart can be done in so many ways that it is now very hard to accomplish. The ways in which we express ourselves, think about ourselves, and act towards others, individualizes us; so why not do so in a way that allows us to positively impact others? This is how people remember us; they form opinions based on how we treat them, and they read our behaviors in different situations. If you are excellent at a certain task or think you are prepared for a job you are interviewing for, The Score this week is here for some advice on the best ways to distinguish yourself from the competition and assure a job, or any other end goal you may be seeking, is yours.
People have a crazy ability to feel one another’s presence. This means when you are first meeting someone, they can tell if something is bothering you or if you are distracted by something. If you are in an important setting and can speak with a hiring manager or one of your colleagues, do your best to let it go. It is very important that in a professional setting we do not allow outside distractions to get the better of us. Other people respond better to positivity than negativity, and that is the first step to setting yourself apart from others. Being positive and excited about a job is one of the few things that you can control when dealing with other individuals and coworkers. The process starts here. Being excited brings about ideas that will positively impact how the conversation will go. This mindset can help eliminate the generic answers to questions and create a flowing conversation rather than forcing an interviewer to pull the questions out of you.
These two keys, being excited and having a non-generic conversation, work perfectly with the underlying ability to adapt. One impactful way to set someone apart is his/her ability to adjust to certain situations and set personal or negative interferences aside for the betterment of the job at hand. Being positive and having a creative mind-set can facilitate unique and memorable interview answers. It changes how people see you from someone who is “winging it” and unprepared, to the person who is adaptable and can understand the environment in which his/her work needs to be done.
Another major component that assists in setting yourself apart can start as early in the process as your resume. Creating a resume that is clear, concise, and that highlights your best qualities is key in making an impact on potential employers. A resume should be altered to focus on your best and most pertinent skills relevant to the job you are interviewing for. Understanding the goals and values of the different companies for which you apply to can help you tailor your resume to showcase the skills and experiences most aligned with theirs.
Providing a professional resume can give you a step in the door, but another great way to make an impact on employers is by incorporating what is written on paper into conversation. You should be able to show enthusiasm for your previous experiences and successes, emphasizing what you have learned in the past and how it can assist you in the future. Accentuating your strengths is crucial to standing out; however, understanding your weaknesses and being able to provide examples of how you are working to improve yourself can show ambition and a passion for learning, both attractive qualities of successful employees.
Lastly, in addition to providing a professional resume, the most important quality is to be an excellent team player. Working together and having the ability to collaborate with the people around you is vital to both personal and company-wide success. A team player is confident and prepared with new, exciting ideas while understanding the importance of communication and collaboration. Working together with a team to make the best possible decisions allows you to stand out in a way that shows you are assured but not arrogant. A team should be made up of all leaders coming together to work on an end goal. Leave the ego at the door, and remember that you are all working for a common goal.
Being able to adapt, formatting your resume for each job, being able to speak to each point on your resume, and being a team player with confidence not arrogance is only four of the many ways in which you can set yourself apart from the competition. Whether it be at a job interview or meeting with your CEO up for a promotion, these four characteristics will be sure to help you standout. Working and remembering to act each day with all the ideas together, will mold you into a great employee but an even better person.