How To Show Personality in Your Job Application

It can be a challenge to show personality in a job application while remaining professional and still including all of your relevant experience and qualifications. However, showcasing your personality in your resume and cover letter can help set you apart from a large crowd of candidates. This article will cover five easy ways to do so.

Write a Powerful Resume Summary

A resume summary is a short paragraph at the top of your resume that provides a quick overview of the entire document. It’s designed to capture a hiring manager’s attention and convince them to continue reading the rest of your resume. Most hiring managers only spend less than 10 seconds scanning each resume they receive, so writing a powerful resume summary that highlights your personality is a key way to grab their attention.

Highlight Your Unique Expertise

Most of the candidates who are applying for the job likely have similar experience levels and qualifications, so it’s important to set yourself apart by showcasing your unique selling points. While of course you should still include your most relevant work experience and qualifications, be sure to also highlight things that set you apart from the crowd, such as less common certifications, useful experience in another industry, your passions, interesting non-work-related accomplishments, and so forth.

In addition to your work experience and qualifications, you can also highlight your strengthsfinder themes in your resume and cover letter which are 34 different talents that people have, and they can be a great way to show potential employers how you would be a valuable asset to their team.

Include Optional Resume Sections

It’s often easiest to work your unique details into your resume by adding optional sections such as hobbies and interests, languages, accomplishments, and so forth. These sections are perfect opportunities for showcasing your personality, but remember that your resume should be no more than one or two pages long, depending on your level of experience. So, only add optional resume sections if you have enough room after listing all of your other information.

Add Social Media or Website Links

You can also showcase your personality by including clickable URLs on your resume that will take potential employers to your LinkedIn profile, personal website, or online portfolio. Only link to pages that are professional and appropriate. These types of links provide additional context for your experience and skills and since they don’t have the same space constraints as a resume, you can show off your personality more easily.

Write a Personalized Cover Letter

Finally, no job application is complete without a personalized cover letter. Match the tone and voice of the company that you are applying to. For example, you can use a more casual tone when applying to a tech startup than you would when applying to a corporate accounting position. In the same vein, show that you are a good fit for the company’s culture – many employers now place significant importance on the ability of a job candidate to fit in seamlessly with the existing team.

In your cover letter, you might tell a brief anecdote to share an example of both your personality and your successes in your past positions. However, be careful to stay away from outlandish or overly casual stories in your cover letter, as they will likely come across better when shared in person at your interview or after you’ve been hired. Be sure to mention the company and the position that you are applying for by name in your cover letter.