Get to know your job-search competition

It’s a buyer’s market out there, but job seekers still have stiff competition, with a plethora of other interviewers reaching for the same goal and the same career aspirations as they are. What do those other candidates bring to the table? CareerBuilder lets you know what you’re up against.

CareerBuilder’s Job Competition Snapshot aggregates user-generated information from all applicants for a particular job listing, protecting the privacy of each applicant. Every job listing on CareerBuilder’s site enables job seekers to sign in and instantly view:

• The number of candidates who applied to the position
• The average years of experience candidates have
• The average level of education candidates have

Those who apply to the job can immediately see more in-depth insights from a hiring status report, called Hire Insider. The report includes information on:

• Applications that have been viewed so far
• The number of applicants who are currently employed
• The number of applicants who attached a cover letter
• Top college majors of applicants
• A more detailed breakdown of applicants’ years of experience
• States where applicants live
• Average current salaries of applicants
• Average salaries of those with the highest degrees

What will it take to get the job?
CareerBuilder has also created 300 Career Details pages, which provide insights on skills needed, educational advice and relevant salary data for specific job titles. Job seekers can receive job alerts for the occupation they’re viewing for a particular location, see top pay by location, check related job searches and gain insider tips (see example here). Job seekers can find all of the Career Pages under the “Browse Jobs” header on the CareerBuilder homepage.

Five ways to beat the competition:
To be bold in your job search, you need to provide quality information to your potential employer beyond what a standard cover letter and resume convey. However, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. So, how do you make this work for you and your situation? Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Don’t forget the past: Giving a few examples of how your past experience is transferrable shows that you’ve thought through how you would fit in to the organization.
2. Use social media to your advantage: Tweeting, blogging and commenting about things you know builds up your credibility online. When an employer searches, you want them to find a knowledgeable individual who can fit well into their company.
3. Create a winning online portfolio, highlighting samples of your work: Pay particular attention to the skills advertised in the job description, then use that information to help guide you on what to put front and center on your portfolio.
4. Be specific: One of the most important ways to show you’re the right person for the job is to spell out how you would fit in to the position and the company’s goals.
5. Showcase your numbers: Use as many facts and figures as you can in your resume. How many people were impacted by your work? By what percentage did you exceed your goals?

Find out who is looking at your resume – and why.