How to Stand Out When Applying for a Role in Executive Search

Thoughts from Oli Oldham

Now, we all know how to hit apply on a job advert on Linkedin or other well-known job sites… but how can you make a difference in your application?

Sometimes, it can be actions ahead of applying that can make the most significant difference. Things like doing your research and highlighting an important advancement within your initial communications, calling around to get insight into the business and communicating with current employees on LinkedIn to understand the culture can make an impact.

One of our Associate Consultants, Oli, has provided some recommendations on how you can stand out from the crowd when applying, most of which will take only minor effort on your part.

Do not apply, call!

This is the most critical piece of advice that I can give anyone looking to get into the recruitment industry. Every day, many people are applying for roles with no experience or degree on their CV; the single best way to be noticed is just to do what you would be doing on a day-to-day basis within a recruitment company.

Call, ask to speak to the hiring manager about the role, and then absolutely sell yourself! Make yourself memorable over that phone call, and they will not notice a lack of experience on a CV. Any good recruitment company knows that attitude and personality are vital to building a good recruitment consultant. Specific skills can be taught on the job, so instead of clicking apply on the 30th job post you’ve seen that day, pick up the phone and speak to someone!

Do your research.

Interview preparation is another vital piece of advice to take while attempting to make your way into the recruitment industry. Read articles from the website, check the LinkedIn profiles of the senior people within the business, read through the roles that they have advertised, and if you don’t know something, write it down and ask it in the interview. There is nothing worse than getting to the end of an interview and saying you don’t have any questions.

Check the company culture.

Culture is a massive part of what makes the industry such a great place to work in. Find a company that works hard and has a work dynamic that you can thrive in, recruitment requires long hours, and you spend most of your week with those you work with, check that it’s going to be an excellent place to learn and progress. A 10-hour day can be almost as enjoyable as a weekend if you find the right people.

Set your goals!

Everyone has their reasons for leaving their old job behind, and everyone needs life goals to aim for. The industry can be very tough, recruitment is not an easy job, but it is highly rewarding if you put in the work. Set what you want to achieve; money and progression are key things that will come with hard work; there will be setbacks, and things will go wrong, but it’s the skill of a recruiter to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep yourself busy. Those goals will help you do that!

Find the right mentor for you.

I cannot stress this enough, find someone that will put the time into you to work under! Find someone who will teach you the correct processes and become a sponge to them, soak up all the information you can get on how to do this job and see yourself progress quickly. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, don’t be scared to say when you’ve made a mistake and give 100% in that role; if you’re working under the right people achieving your goals and progressing upwards will come naturally.

Even taking on one of the pieces of advice could help inch you ahead of the competition. Each of the five points above shows proactivity and commitment to the organisation you are applying for and will sit well with the hiring manager or talent acquisition lead.

Fraser Dove International is the life science talent consultancy offering organisations ranging from global pharmaceutical companies to local scale-up biotech businesses experience executive search solutions. Over the years, we have listened to our clients and candidates, allowing us to formulate the talent ecosystem, helping organisations attract and assess candidates, onboard them correctly, and retain them for longer.

We are currently hiring across the value chain, looking for support within our research functions as well as client services and business development. Contact our talent acquisition lead, Sian Macintyre, for more information.