Three surefire ways to impress hiring managers

It’s tempting for job hunters to focus on their shortcomings. Especially when applying for competitive positions, they harp on employment gaps, lack of education or short-term tenure with several companies.

If you find yourself concentrating on your weaknesses, remember this: Employers rarely hire the “perfect” candidate — the one with flawless tenure with Fortune 500 companies, the Ivy League education and exceptional communication skills. In fact, most companies will gladly overlook your past mistakes if they like your mix of experience, value and personality.

Despite shortfalls or gaps in your professional background, there are a few surefire ways to impress hiring managers. Take these tips seriously. They may pave the way to your next job, or cut your job-search time significantly:

Score a personal referral. There’s nothing like a personal referral to get through the door. When someone hands your resume directly to the boss, it’s like winning the job-search lottery.

Landing a first-person recommendation is easier than it sounds. You’ve been networking, right? Meeting other job seekers, talking to people in your field, reaching out to supervisors and business owners to spread the word about your qualifications? Now is the time to contact every one of these people and find out if anyone knows a manager or staff person at the company of your choosing. If you haven’t been networking, get started right away.

Be ready at a moment’s notice. Life turns on a dime. Even with careful planning, you can get blindsided. Your boss might appear one day with a list of unexpected layoffs. The person sitting next to you at your friend’s wedding may be the manager of a respected firm — and request an interview next week. A colleague could tell you about a great opportunity at her company — and offer to present your resume to her boss. But you need to act fast, before the business announces the job opening to the public.

Always be prepared for unanticipated resume requests, interviews and job offers. It will build your confidence and allow you to seamlessly transition to a new job.

Sell your accomplishments. Fast.

Most hiring managers are very efficient. With little time to squander, they sift through dozens (or hundreds) of resumes in just a few minutes. They evaluate candidates hastily over the phone. In job interviews, they may cut your meeting short if you don’t impress them right away.

Remember to sell your accomplishments quickly. Companies need people who will boost the top or bottom line for the business. Think of the times that you cut costs, boosted revenue or saved time for past employers. How did you improve the workplace? Build relationships with clients? Restore faltering accounts?

Hiring managers may be busy, but you don’t have time to waste either. Boldly highlight your accomplishments at all phases of your job search. Be clear. Make sure the potential boss can visualize the impact you will make as a new employee of the business.

It’s easy to get caught up in the challenges of job hunting. Instead of focusing on the obstacles ahead of you, and the shortcomings in your background, take charge of your search and you’ll stand out from the crowd.

Send your job-search questions to Eve.GetAJob@gmail.com.