5 ways to stand out in today's job search

Employers have a hard time finding people with the right skills. Showcase your in-demand skills to grab employers' attention.

ManpowerGroup's 2019 Talent Shortage Survey found that 69% of U.S. employers are struggling to fill positions due to an inability to find the right people with the right skills. As a result, positions are going unfilled, hindering a company's ability to grow and operate effectively. This talent shortage experienced by employers allows job seekers and employees to position themselves for success.

What can you do to use the talent shortage to your advantage? What skills do employers need from you? What can you do to stand out from the crowd?

Five ways to stand out in today's job search:

1. Identify your technical skills in relation to the top 10 jobs and human strengths employers are looking for. Human strengths are skills such as communication, collaboration, relationship building, creativity, empathy and a desire to learn. These skills increase the speed and efficiency that technology brings to the workplace and are valued by employers.
   Leverage your technical skills and human strengths; continually acquire new skills to reduce the risk of automation replacing the tasks you perform.
2. Highlight in your cover letter, resume and interview the human strengths you excel at and the technical skills related to the job. Emphasize how having these specific skills will help the potential employer continue to develop and operate efficiently.
3. Demonstrate adaptability to change. As digitization, artificial intelligence and virtual reality increasingly impact the workplace, it becomes even more crucial to adapt to change and continually learn new skills to remain employable for jobs that may not even exist today.
4. Showcase your skills and networking through your professional networks, social channels like LinkedIn and communications with existing/potential employers.
5. Employers have reported that candidates don't have the technical skills or human strengths to fulfill their role. Take advantage of this gap by honing the skills and human strengths that will attract the attention of today's employers and help you maintain your employability in the future.
   
   Manpower offers MyPath, a collection of training, educational programs, self-assessments and career advice to help associates navigate their career paths and continually prepare for their next job opportunity.