How to Stand Out in the Job Market

A guide for members of Gen Z to make themselves more marketable

Gen Z is entering the workforce.

We live in a competitive job market--one in which one of your most valuable assets is going to be experience. How do you prove yourself before you have experience on your side?

There is no perfect formula on how to have a perfect job interview. Expectations are going to vary depending on interviewer and industry. However, there are basic principles to follow that signal that you are the type of person that will work hard, solve problems, and become an asset to the company you are interviewing for.

Know what drives you

Being motivated will lead to a more positive workplace.

What motivates you? What helps you push through hard situations, or keep trying when you fail? What is going to keep you going towards the light at the end of the tunnel? In essence, why do you do what you do?

Inevitably, you are going to be asked why you want to be hired in the position you applied for. That question isn't asking why you want to make money, and it isn't meant to be a trick question. It is asking if you can find the motivation to excel in the position you are interviewing for.

Before interviewing, ask yourself where you can find fulfillment in the job your are interviewing for.

Show that you can think outside of yourself

Some believe that the one of the differences in generations is Gen Z is more selfish. Prove them wrong.

Being successful in a company requires being a team player, and if you never show that you think outside of yourself, you are broadcasting that not only are you not a team player, but your interests are centered on yourself, not the company.

Understand what value you offer to the company you are interviewing for, and show that you would not be the only person benefiting from your hire.

Be honest, even if that's hard. All dishonesty shows is that you value upholding a false image of yourself over

Be gracious. Very few people actually enjoy the hiring process. Show that you are thankful for your interviewer's time.

Don't be pretentious. There's nothing wrong with being confident (in fact, it's encouraged), but being pretentious entails that you are self-absorbed and unable to see your flaws.

Bonus: The importance of being a team player, and other tips to get hired.

Prove your independence

Management is always looking to train employees that can think for themselves.

A valuable employee is one that you can trust to do their job without constantly needing help. Employees that can't problem solve and improvise waste their manager's time and money. Employers are looking for workers that are already good at self-supervision.

Some signals to a prospective business that you are independent are:

1. Get prior job experience. The importance of holding a job before your intended career can't be overstated. Work through high school and college, because it signals that you are motivated, have workforce skills, and are willing to solve your problems instead of having a parent care for you.

2. Showcase problem-solving. Be willing to show how you've improvised in the past to take care of yourself instead of getting someone else to fix something for you.

3. Keep mom out of it. This shouldn't need said, but it does. Your mom should never be entered into your professional career.