How to Be the Best Candidate – Knowing What Sets You Apart

When you are a candidate in the life science industry, being the first choice for a job is a tough spot to achieve, especially when there are a lot of other candidates also vying for the same role. Rather than fretting about what makes the competition tick, we’re here to tell you that the answer lies within you! Recruiters and employers want to know what it is that sets you apart from the crowd, and we’re here to help you figure this out.

Identify What Makes You Unique

The first step in being the best candidate is to know what makes you unique and how to market this in a way that makes you attractive to a prospective employer. First, work out where your core competencies are and how they align with the position specification. Next, define the skills you have that set you apart from the competition and don’t be afraid to tell your future employer what these skills can do for their business.

Many candidates have unique skills, but failing to tell employers about them or make them relevant to the post often means being overlooked for the jobs you are applying for. Be proud of what you have to offer and share it!

Lead With Confidence

When you are keen to achieve a new role, one of the best ways to sell yourself is with confidence. This means developing your own personal brand and selling to employers and recruiters, making them keen to assist you. Having a personal brand doesn’t mean lots of extra work either, it just means that you know what you have to offer, you know what sets you apart from others and are happy to share this information in order to get the job you want.

When it comes to selling yourself, remember that professionalism is the key to success, across all aspects of your life. From ensuring that your social media doesn’t let you down to thinking about the way you dress, everything you do can contribute to your own brand, making future employers eager to be part of your story.

Don’t Forget to Network

Our final piece of advice when it comes to being the best candidate is to remember the power of networking. Many candidates see jobs they want, apply for them, and then hope to be invited to interview. In most cases, an employer has an idea of who they are looking for and what they want. This means that you need to attempt to connect with internal champions while applying so that you can augment your chances of success.

The great thing about networking today is that there are lots of channels you can use! LinkedIn is a great online networking platform and local business events also offer opportunities too. You can even reach out directly to people you professionally admire and ask them to spend time mentoring or coaching you, as you make your way up the ladder but make sure to offer them something in return. What’s great about networking is that there are many executives that are keen to help the next generation, giving you the opportunity to make your mark with the right support.

Stay in First Place with Robust Follow Ups

At GeneCoda®, we work with a lot of employers and candidates, helping to make the right match for job vacancies in the life science industry. One of the things that we recommend is that you follow up after your interview is over to help you stay top of mind. This can be as simple as sending an email to the interviewer to thank them for interviewing you or as robust as adding them to your professional network, if they have agreed.

What’s most important to remember is that a follow up can be the difference between getting the job and being forgotten about, so take the time to do it when you want to be successful! Need more guidance locating your next role? Reach out to the GeneCoda® team today!

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