People seeking employment in the tightening labour market need to be outstanding if they’re to make an impact with potential employers receiving an ever-increasing number of applications from experienced and qualified jobseekers.

That was the message to students from the School of Business at Waterford Institute of Technology from Sinead English of Sinead English & Associates who was speaking as part of the Institute’s Business Day which allowed final year students in particular to focus on their career prospects.

Ms English, a Limerick-based career management specialist who previously worked in investment banking, told the students that in this market only approximately 20-25 per cent of job vacancies are advertised, meaning that relying solely on published job ads is equivalent to fishing where only a small percentage of  the fish are and where most of the fishermen congregate.

“This,” she said, “makes it particularly important that applicants use creative thinking to position themselves positively with key decision-makers and use their network of family and friends to best effect. There is also a lot of value to connecting with alumni from your Institute who will be familiar with the programmes you have completed and how your skills may match the company’s requirements.

“Anyone seeking employment – whether they are graduates or more experienced – should have a 90-second ‘tell me about yourself’ pitch prepared that essentially addresses the question of ‘what makes you the right person for the job?’ Be different and original but not scary in your approach – stand out for the best reasons!”

On preparing CVs, jobseekers were advised to make their ‘targets’ want to meet them. “CVs should be visually clear, skills based, a maximum of two pages long, use action words and set out your experience and education with the most recent elements first. Even a single typing mistake in a CV can be enough to see it binned so it should be proof read several times and also re-read by a second person. Spelling or typing errors are to be avoided but so too are very busy formatting; overly long CVs; an over-reliance on the cover letter or a lack of focus on achievements and provable skills.”

Ms English estimated there is a 40/1 or worse chance of any follow-up from employers after a ‘blitz’ approach where a standard CV and cover letter is posted to multiple prospective employers with this improving to closer to 5/1 where a well-crafted short email is sent to an appropriate person with this to include a ‘hook’ (usually a reference to a person of mutual acquaintance) and promise of a follow-up call. “This introductory email should include – using the fewest possible words – your background and reason for approaching the recipient; what you’re offering; your request of them and a commitment to follow-up.”

If successful in securing an interview, Ms English said candidates should do further research in to the hiring organisation and practice the ‘stories’ that showcase their competencies. “Be prepared to offer more than a single example in support of each assertion you make about your prior knowledge or experience. Honesty is also always the best policy at interview and listening carefully to the questions being asked is vital as is making a good first impression with over 90 per cent of the impact at that stage being made non-verbally.”

On a lighter note, Ms English cautioned against using quirky or offbeat email addresses or voicemail messages that may alarm potential employers, adding that job candidates should also consider how their pages and photos on social networking sites represent them.

Ger Long, Head of Department of Accounting & Economics, Waterford Institute of Technology said the presentation was “particularly timely” for final year students who will shortly complete their undergraduate studies. “A growing proportion of these will continue to pursue postgraduate study at the School of Business but for those intending to enter the labour market, it is essential that they are properly equipped for the increasingly competitive environment faced by those seeking employment.

“It is also important that graduates from the Class of 2009 don’t let the current economic climate put them off taking a positive and proactive approach to carving out the important early stages of their career. More than ever, the opportunities that do now exist will go to the very best candidates and Sinead’s advice to ‘be outstanding’ certainly stands up in that context.”

• Information about Sinead English & Associates is available at www.sineadenglishassociates.ie

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