People tend to adopt similar strategies in their job searching: scouring online job boards, going through recruitment pages in the papers and networking their way into every possible industry. With many equally qualified job hunters in the rat race for your dream job, what will make you stand out from the pack and stay ahead of the game?

1. Conduct quality research

Many how-to articles would have expounded umpteen times the importance of doing research on the company you are being interviewed by. You will hardly impress any hiring manager if you plan to regurgitate what is already available in the public domain. Instead, take a proactive stance and make use of other channels to do your research. Talk to people in the industry and collate positive testimonials about the organization. Ask questions that will provide insight into the company's culture, management style, key success factors, its key clients and competitors, as well as its growth and market share.

2. Use visual aids

Some of the most outstanding candidates are great presenters and storytellers. Instead of giving a one-hour verbal description of what they have done and achieved, they illustrate their knowledge, achievements and creativity with a PowerPoint presentation or hard-copy portfolio. The use of colors, sleek fonts and graphics will bring your resume to life and present a compelling and tangible showcase of your work. If you have done enough research about the company, you can even present ideas that would make a difference to the organization, or even solutions to issues it is currently facing.

3. Use testimonials

Testimonials are powerful tools that can strongly differentiate one candidate from another. Tap into your network of contacts and business partners from various industries and find out whether they can write a few words on how they feel about you and your work. Hirers tend to be more impressed with what others say about you than what you say about yourself. The pedigree of the people you have approached to write your testimony matters too. The more senior they are, the more credible the testimony, and the more impressive you would seem.

4. Ask smart questions

Toward the end of an interview, you can be sure that hiring managers and recruiters will ask whether you have any questions for them. If you say no, you will most likely be struck off the list as that shows your lack of interest and lack of enthusiasm to find out more about the job or the company. Hence, it is essential that you are well prepared to ask smart questions that will position you as someone who is perceptive, visionary, self-driven and eager to learn, grow and contribute to the organization.

(Contact yangning@chinadaily.com.cn for questions and career advice)

Contributed by Edward Wang, manager of accounting and finance at Robert Walters Talent Consulting Ltd China

(China Daily 12/13/2011 page14)