“How do I describe my work experience when presenting myself to a prospective employer?” is one of the most common questions we get asked at Whitman Associates. The job market can be tough, especially if you’re unsure how to highlight skills in a job interview or on your resume. If you’re asking, “What skills do companies look for when filling jobs?” or wondering how to showcase leadership skills in an interview, a staffing agency might prove to be your most valuable ally in finding a job that really fits your skill set and experience. To maximize their expertise, however, you will have to be clear and convincing about your qualifications. Here’s how you showcase your expertise and skills to staffing agencies so that you can maximize your potential to land the right position.
1. Understand the Role of Staffing Agencies
Before we get into how to best highlight skills, it’s important to understand what staffing agencies do. Agencies work as mediators between prospective employees and employers. They try to find suitable candidates for companies and help job seekers attain employment opportunities. Some staffing agencies specialize in a particular industry or type of position, so knowing which agency you are aligning with will definitely strengthen your job search.
2. Make an Appealing Resume
The resume is still the first impression in which the staffing agency will come to know about you. In that respect, let your resume be:
Industry Specific
The use of keywords and language specific to highlight skills in your field will go a long way in ensuring that your resume is on point. For those wondering, “How do I describe my work experience?”, look for job skills within several job descriptions within your desired industry and note common or repeated phrases.
Accomplishment-Based
Instead of providing lists of responsibilities, outline your achievements. Wherever possible, use quantifiable measurements, such as, “Increased sales 30% in six months,” or, “Controlled a project which yielded a 15% cost reduction.” This is the best method for how to showcase leadership and other skills in an interview and on your resume.
Clean and Professional
To prominently highlight skills and showcase your expertise, your resume should be easy to read, without typos and visually appealing. Headings, bullet points, and a professional font will make it quicker for the recruiter to review.
Explore more resume tips and tricks on our blog.
3. Create a High-Level Online Presence
Today, having a strong online presence is crucial. Many times, staffing agencies will search for you online as a way to learn more about you. Here is how to create your online presence:
Personal Website or Portfolio
Where applicable, create a personal website to highlight your skills. For graphic designers of social media creative types, this will be a portfolio of your work. If you are in a non-creative field, consider case studies or examples of completed work.
Social Media Presence
When appropriate, a professional presence on Twitter or other sites will be of help in connecting you with industry leaders and entering relevant conversations about your profession. Additionally, following industry leaders may help you answer the biggest question: “How do I describe my work experience?”
LinkedIn Profile
Your LinkedIn profile is the most crucial and should be complete and mirror your resume. Add a professional photo to your profile, write an exciting summary about yourself and highlight what skills you have and what jobs you might be looking for. Comment and share industry-related content, showcasing your expertise.
4. How To Showcase Leadership in an Interview
Preparation is an important part of that first meeting with a staffing agency. Make sure to research the agency. Most will have an “About Us” page on their website emphasizing their specialty, values, and types of companies and roles they work in. You should focus your discussion on tangible ways you believe you would be a good fit with this agency. Prepare an elevator pitch summary about yourself and what you are looking for, but be prepared to explain your skills in depth. When you highlight skills, consider mentioning any specific situations using these skills where you can discuss results.
5. Be Honest About Your Experience
Be truthful in your communication with staffing agencies. Being candid builds trust and allows the agency to provide the best matches for you. Discuss strengths and weaknesses — although strengths should be emphasized, openness regarding one’s shortcomings displays self-awareness and a desire for growth. This doesn’t mean talking yourself down. If you don’t have a lot of experience in your desired industry, emphasize your transferable skills like communication, problem-solving and teamwork.
6. Highlight Soft Skills
While technical skills are essential, it is soft skills that can often differentiate a candidate. When considering, “How do I describe my work experience?” showcase your expertise in leadership and time management. When looking for what soft skills are most transferable to which jobs, flexibility is understated yet important — speak about your ability to adapt to new situations and challenges. Sharing a situation during which you took charge of initiatives, projects or teams is how to showcase leadership in an interview.
7. Follow Through
Send a thank-you note to the interviewer after the interview, thanking them for availing you of the opportunity and reiterating your interest in the position. Beyond highlighting skills during the interview, these little gestures reinforce your professionalism and stick in memory.
Get Started With a Staffing Agency
Effectively communicating your skills and experience to staffing agencies is a planned strategy in itself; it calls for preparation, candor and engagement on your part. Build a winning resume, create an online profile and nurture good relations with recruiters to rise above competing candidates. Remember, staffing agencies work for you in finding the best fit, and it is in the clear communication and mutual understanding that your journey will follow your career aspirations. Enjoy the process, highlight your skills, and you will be off to finding that perfect position!
Are you ready to get started with a staffing agency in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area? The expert staffers at Whitman Associates are ready to read your resume. Email your resume to resumes@whitmanjobs.com today!
