en

Services

Korea' leading employers trust us to deliver fast, efficient hiring solutions that are tailored to their exact requirements. Browse our range of bespoke services and resources

Read more

About Robert Walters Korea

For us, recruitment is more than just a job. We understand that behind every opportunity is the chance to make a difference to people’s lives.

Learn more

Work for us

Our people are the difference. Hear stories from our people to learn more about a career at Robert Walters Korea.

Learn more
Jobs

Our industry specialists will listen to your aspirations and share your story with the most prestigious organisations in South Korea. Together, let’s write the next chapter of your career.

See all jobs

Internal vacancies

Ever considered a career in recruitment?

Learn more
Candidates

Together, we’ll map out career-defining, life-changing pathways to achieve your ambitions. Browse our range of services, advice, and resources.

Learn more
Services

Korea' leading employers trust us to deliver fast, efficient hiring solutions that are tailored to their exact requirements. Browse our range of bespoke services and resources

Read more
About Robert Walters Korea

For us, recruitment is more than just a job. We understand that behind every opportunity is the chance to make a difference to people’s lives.

Learn more

Work for us

Our people are the difference. Hear stories from our people to learn more about a career at Robert Walters Korea.

Learn more

7 ways to stand out from the crowd

You’re a great candidate for that role – but you’re not the only one. Take inspiration from these stories of candidates who’ve gone the extra mile to win over an employer.

In many industries and professions, competition for jobs continues to intensify. Sure, you may tick all the right boxes in terms of qualifications, you may have a compelling track record to talk about, and you may have a winning personality too. But chances are, so will several other candidates.
What, then, can you do to stand out from the crowd? How can you show that you are prepared to go the extra mile – that you both want and deserve the job more than your rivals? Here are some ideas, based on true stories, about how to do just that.

Add a personal touch

Reaching out to your potential employer following an interview, especially if it’s in a thoughtful way, will help you to be the candidate that leaves a lasting impression. A simple way to do this is to compose a handwritten thank you note following the interview.
It’s an old-fashioned courtesy which, done well, is likely to gain approval; better still, it gives you another chance to get your name in front of your potential employer. Referencing parts of the conversation also shows you were fully engaged throughout the process.

Takeaway: What key points can you make in your personal message which will show how you really engaged with your interviewer?

Do your research

A candidate should always have a good answer to the question, ‘What do you know about us?’ Instead of just reciting the company’s About Us page, review the annual report. You can gain a deeper understanding for the type of language the company uses.
The annual report helps candidates to understand what really matters to the organisation. Pay attention to the phrases that appear often. Do they focus on ‘caring for customers’, ‘driving change’, or ‘unlocking value for stakeholders’? Get a good idea of the keywords that signify the company’s approach, so you can bring them up at interview.
One candidate for a travel company asked to give a presentation on how to market a specific resort and took the idea of research literally – she decided to fly to the resort for the weekend! She brought back a jar of sand as evidence and put together a promotional microsite full of images that she’d taken herself on her trip.

Takeaway: How can you show you’ve gone the extra mile in the way you research for the role?

Start doing the job already

Hiring managers aren’t just impressed by a candidate who just done her research – they want to see candidates who are able to demonstrate exactly how they would add value to the business.
One candidate was unbelievably well prepared and brought a plan with her of what she would do over the first six months of starting the role. She outlined a series of thoughtful, insightful ideas, including what she’d need from the company to support her. It was a very creative approach – several of her ideas were things the company hadn’t considered. She spoke to the interviewer as if she already had the job – and she completely nailed it.
Companies take a bedding-in period into account, involving induction and training. It is a great relief to find someone who’s already done some significant thinking to understand the role. As well as being bright and resourceful, the applicant put so much time and effort into her preparation that she showed she really wanted the job.
Almost every single recommendation she made ended up getting actioned. However, it wouldn’t have mattered if she hadn’t got everything right, because she showed that she had the skills and resourcefulness to provide new ideas.

Takeaway: What can you do to show that you’re already thinking and acting as if you’re ready to start the role tomorrow?

Make use of your other skills and experience

Candidates can often stand out by harnessing other skills in the way they prepare for an interview.
One candidate with a background in logistics wowed his interviewers for a professional services role by highlighting some ways they could streamline their service delivery processes, for example. This unique perspective made him stand out from other interviewees.
Another candidate, who came from an eCommerce background but was interviewing for an unrelated role, spotted a gap in the market for a clothing brand which went on to become a significant revenue stream.

Takeaway: What skills from other parts of your life can you put to use in your job search and interview?

Show your creativity

The creative and promotional industries are full of examples of applicants who have made use of their talents to help their application stand out from the crowd.
Salespeople have been known to present their expertise in the form of a commercial pitch. And creatives have packaged their credentials in a variety of weird and wacky ways – in the form of specially designed cereal packets, Swiss Army knives, Lego kits, action figurines and more.
One candidate famously hired an advertisement opposite the HQ of the company they wanted to work at to get noticed. Another marketing hopeful decided to launch her own ‘hire a boss’ website. She listed her position, organisation and manager requirements, got media coverage for her efforts – and ended up with a dream job.
Showing creativity demonstrates energy and initiative. It’s another way of showing that you are willing to go above and beyond.
You want to leave an impression that resonates with your interviewers and gives them something to think about long after the interview finishes.
A candidate interviewing for a finance analyst role at a major fashion brand performed in-depth research into the company’s competitors, product range and position in the industry. He used his research to develop a visual SWOT analysis and submitted printed copies for his interviewers to take. In addition to securing the role, his interview set a standard for future candidates.

Takeaway: Going to such creative lengths is not appropriate or desirable in every industry or sector, of course. But there are always ways to use imaginative presentation to stand out from the crowd. For instance, in the look and feel of your presentation deck or by putting together a digitally-savvy personal CV site.

Show some grit and resilience

Technical expertise and relevant industry experience are expected in a senior position. Employers are often looking for evidence of soft skills, such as grit and resilience.
The ability to bounce back from difficulties and learn from adversity is an especially vital skill in today’s workplace. You need to show that you can cope and adapt in a fast-moving world with rapid technological changes. Businesses today face constant disruption, frequent restructuring and ongoing transformation. Employers want proof of your ability to survive and thrive in such an environment.

Takeaway: What stories can you tell to illustrate your ability to deal with change and adapt?

Demonstrate a growth mindset

A related soft skill that can help you stand out from the crowd is ‘learning agility’ – a willingness and enthusiasm to move with the times, take on new skills and expand into new areas as business requirements and priorities evolve.
You need to be able to demonstrate your willingness and ability to learn new skills, and adapt or take on new challenges and working patterns.
Companies invest a lot of money to hire top talent. They are hiring not just for now but for the future. Use stories with real-life examples to demonstrate learning agility and your readiness to stretch yourself.

Takeaway: What stories can you tell to demonstrate that you are a candidate who is not afraid to learn new things – and you will be an asset to your employer not just today, but in five or ten years’ time?

Share this article
Useful links

Sign up for job alerts

Salary Survey

Career Advice

Get in touch

Find out more by contacting one of our specialist recruitment consultants

Related content

View all
How to explain your reasons for leaving a job (with examples)

One of the most common interview questions interviewees face is: "Why are you leaving your current job?" And the most daunting part is that your answer can shape a interviewer’s first impression, positively or negatively. Whether you're job hunting after a redundancy, looking for better opportunitie

Read More
12 things to do now to get ready for a new job

You’ve decided to make a move, so what are you waiting for? Even before you land your first interview, there are loads of things you can be doing to help you prepare for a change of jobs… Although coming to the decision that you’re ready to change jobs is a big step, translating that decision into t

Read More
Six signs it could be time to change jobs

Your interests and goals naturally change over time, but how do you know if you’re ready to think about a change of job? Here are a few indicators that it might be time for you to make your move. So you’ve been in your job a good while, and you’ve noticed motivation is dwindling. Maybe you don’t fee

Read More