Standing out from the crowd

Job seekers are stepping up on how they get attention from potential bosses by promoting themselves with infographics, website resumes and even video resumes.

IT was a picture of an empty chair that became a hit.

Posting the photograph on LinkedIn, Azmil Hakim said he was looking for an interviewer to fill the seat across him, in his quest to find a job. His post attracted over 15,603 likes and 900 comments.

More importantly, it caught the attention of employers and recruiters who, impressed by his creativity, asked him to send them his resume. With an uncertain economy and soft job market, more job seekers are turning to different ways to stand out.

Aside from submitting the traditional curriculum vitae, some use infographics in their profiles, or create online and website resumes. While it isn’t very common yet, some also have video resumes, introducing themselves in short clips sometimes uploaded on YouTube.

Malaysian Employers Federation executive director Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan concurs that such out-of-the-box methods definitely grab attention, especially in the current soft labour market.

“Most employers are reducing new hires or offering only contractbased positions. That makes it harder.

“Job applicants need to stand out from the rest. The higher chances of being noticed, the higher your chances of being called for an interview,” he says.

While it is relatively new, Shamsuddin agrees that video resumes may catch up in future.

“However, videos can backfire if the candidate speaks with grammatical mistakes and poor pronunciation,” he says.

Meanwhile, several job portals and recruitment agencies agree that there are job seekers who try to set themselves apart from others. Hays Malaysia business director Sarah Tanoue observes that the most creative job applications come from candidates in the technology and creative sectors.

“We are seeing more use of infographics and website resumes.

“Portfolios are commonly used to supplement applications in creative roles.

“But we are now seeing candi- dates in traditional sectors like learning and development, who are providing portfolios of their work to add impact,” she says.

Tanoue says video resumes are not “mainstream” yet, and even resumes with impressive graphics can be challenging to submit due to size and format issues.

“However, some companies do request a video “intro” as part of their application process.

“This video intro helps hiring managers gauge the level of interest and suitability of the candidate, and it gives the company a more holistic view of the applicant,” she adds.

She points out that more companies in Malaysia are introducing artificial intelligence-powered video interview bots, to automate the early stages of the interview process.

“So even if applicants don’t prepare a video resume, they should become familiar at presenting and communicating on video to respond well to such requirements,” Tanoue says.

But ultimately, applicants should tailor their approach according to the type of job and organisation they are applying to.

“In creative and tech sectors, something out-of-the-box may be needed.

“But for professional corporates and traditional jobs, an unusual tactic may create a negative impression, or confuse the employer on how well you understand their organisation,” she says.

JobStreet Malaysia country manager Gan Bock Herm encourages job seekers to upload a personalised resume to support their profiles in the portal.

“A creative personalised resume can give a positive first impression, but it will not play a big role in securing a job interview if their skillsets are irrelevant to the job.

“Job seekers should ensure their resume is updated and encapsulates their past working experiences and relevant skillsets,” he says.

ManpowerGroup country manager (Malaysia and Indonesia) Sam Haggag says it is hard to capture attention in a world where people are constantly bombarded with information, and the same goes for recruiters and job candidates.

“As the first step of the job hunting process, a job seeker has to capture recruiters’ attention. No matter what skills you have, unless you get recruiters to know you, it will be impossible to land a job.

“So, finding innovative ways to capture attention definitely increases the chances of being hired,” he adds.

He says Malaysian job candidates are among the highest (43%) globally when it comes to using social media to apply for jobs. Few candidates submit video resumes as the first touch point with potential employers though, Haggag says.

“In a year, we might get about five video resumes from the thousands of candidates that we screen.

“Typically, video resumes come from media professionals,” he adds.

LinkedIn communications head (South-East Asia and North Asia) Linda Lee says video resumes can sometimes be used for relevant roles such as social media and content marketing jobs.

“Emerging jobs in Malaysia include content writers and user experience designers. Videos are a great way to bring examples of your expertise and achievements to life,” she highlights.

While LinkedIn encourages job seekers to build their professional profile online, she says the key is to be authentic.

“Your approach to attract prospective employers should reflect your values. We also advise job seekers to explore company culture that matters to them.

“Companies also look for technical skills and soft skills,” Lee says, citing empathy, relationship building and communications as soft skills in demand. As for Azmil’s LinkedIn post, Lee says it was a great example of how to attract the attention in a professional community.

“He connected with his audience and was not afraid to share that he was looking for a job.

“This approach worked as it came across as authentic, humble and yet relevant to his expertise as a human resource professional,” she adds.