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After I explain to a group of people how much work is involved in today’s job search, at least one of those people, consistently, responds with, “But I don’t want to do all of that.” My eyes then roll several times.

These people forget that dozens if not hundreds of other job seekers are applying for the same jobs.

No matter the state of the economy, you’ll always be competing with someone else for a job. There’s always someone positioned just as well as or better than you.

Understanding what your successful competitors are doing will help you understand what you need to do to beat them.

Read Be a Consultant, Not a Job Seeker nor Anything Like Your Competition

Here are five things your competitors are doing that you should adopt for yourself:

1. Your Competitors Are Always Looking for New Opportunities

We’ve heard for years that job hopping is the best way to receive a raise. For the careerist who is looking to increase their job market value, job hopping can also be a way to improve their skill set.

Your competitors control their careers by remaining abreast of trends and changes and adapting to shifts in the marketplace. You must do the same if you expect to keep up.

2. Your Competitors Are Adept at Demonstrating Value

Some suggest showing your value to employers by trading cover letters for “pain letters,” which address a hiring manager’s problems rather than your qualifications.

An easier way to prove your value might be to keep your ear to the ground. Listen to your peers and industry connections to learn about the issues plaguing their workplaces. Then, get in front of the people having problems and offer to help.

3. Your Competitors Collaborate

Your competitors share information with their networks, acknowledge others’ achievements, and ask for advice. Don’t disregard the value of collaboration with your industry peers. Attend conferences (both physical and virtual), listen to and participate in podcasts, and team up with your contacts whenever possible. These relationships can easily translate to new career opportunities down the line.

Read 5 Ways Sentimentality Is Ruining Your Career

4. Your Competitors Focus on the Small Stuff

Remembering names, places, and events goes a long way in establishing a positive reputation for yourself.

You, too, must understand that small details such as follow-up calls, handshakes, and eye contact are invaluable to your job search efforts.

5. Your Competitors Speak the Employer’s Language

If you’ve researched the company or industry well, you should be able to speak the language — maybe not fluently, but well enough to make a strong case for why your skills are what the company needs.

Many veterans can get civilian jobs after being in the military for many years because they’ve learned what their skills mean in the private sector. This is not easy because the military has terms and functionalities of its own, but veterans still learn how to translate. Similarly, you must know how your skills translate from where you are now to the company you’re pursuing.

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To stand out during your job search, you must understand how your competition is standing out. It’s work. It’s time-consuming. It’s competitive. But it’s the only way to get the job of your dreams.

This article was originally published here as well as my other work for Recruiter.com! 

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers," career consultant, job seeker advocate, career writer, and founder of this award-winning blog. I help the employed, unemployed, underemployed, and under-appreciated find jobs using job search strategies to navigate the new job market. I aim to give a safe place online to those with different needs, cultures, and ethnicities to find their voice in the job market. Thousands have read my career advice throughout the web as I write about everything from job search strategies to the mobile job search. I have published more than 400 articles on this blog and some of the largest career sites such as Recruiter.com, YouTern, and Come Recommended. I've been quoted in major online publications such as Monster, TIME/Money, Fortune, Business Insider and MSN. FlexJobs, JobMonkey, Aerotek, Career Pivot, and CareerSherpa listed my podcast as one of the top podcasts to help your job search. Love for you to sign up for the weekly newsletter. I share the latest articles I've written, new podcast episodes, and answer any questions you may have. The new job search is scary and if you need help, I am here for it!

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