Bravo, you have succeeded in getting an interview! You are now one step ahead on the road to landing the job you want. You tick all the right boxes in terms of qualifications, you have a sea of experience and have gotten great recommendations from respectable persons in the industry. "What could possibly go wrong?" You think. And you shouldn't be wrong. In an ideal world, your qualifications, expertise, and knowledge should speak for themselves and help you land the job, but things do not necessarily function that way in reality.

The truth is that in reality, there are several other candidates with qualifications just as good as yours. Many with qualifications and recommendations that even beat yours. And no, we are not the bearers of bad news, in truth we only want to help. You may not know this, but individuality and peculiarity win most times. You can only gain an edge over your just-as-qualified competitors by standing out.

Think of it this way. If you were a business owner, would you rather employ the person who impressed you with their ingenuity and special effects than employ the one with all the academic credentials and recommendations but had nothing special to say? There, you have your answer.

With that being answered, let's get right into it. Here are 4 ways to stand out in a job interview:

1. Ask meaningful questions

While this may sound like a no-brainer to some, you'd be shocked at how many applicants do not do this, thereby making you a memorable candidate during the interview. It starts with doing adequate research on the company’s vision, values, work ethics and operations to prove that you care about the company and are thinking about the details of how you’d fit into the workplace. It also helps to demonstrate that you’ve done your research. Besides, the interview is just as much of an opportunity for you to get to know the company as it is for the hiring manager to get to know you.

Some examples of meaningful questions you can ask during the interview are:

• How do you evaluate success in this position?
• Can you tell me more about your company values and how they're put into practice?
• What professional development opportunities are available for this position?
• Are there any challenges that the company's facing right now?
• Where do you see the company in the next 3 to 5 years?
• What are some of the most interesting projects you've worked on in this company?
• Can I provide any further details that would help make your decision?
• What are the next steps?

2. Demonstrate how you can add value to the company

What your interviewer wants to know is how you add value to the company and whether you're a good fit for the team. This means that you must ensure you don't hold back when showing off your skills, talents as well as personality. You never know what will leave a lasting impression on the interviewer. Of course, this must be done in moderation. The last thing you want to be seen as is someone with no sense of control who talks too much.

Instead talk confidently about skills, work experience, and what you can do for future employers. You could also consider creating some graphs or charts with data related to your past experiences that are related to the job or making a presentation. If you work in a more analytical or numbers-oriented field take it a step further and create interesting infographics.

Furthermore, if you have any unique skills that are outside the main requirements but could still be useful in the job position, highlight them. For example, a candidate that is applying to the role of a social media marketer but who is an expert in data analysis could analyze the company or its competition and bring that data to the interview.

3. Dress to impress

As a candidate that has been invited to an interview, you only get a chance to make your first impression. As a result, wearing the perfect outfit is a major step to not only having a successful job interview but to be distinguished from other candidates. If you look the part, the hiring manager will already be impressed and will be more likely to see you as the right candidate for the job. To put it more precisely, the way you dress for an interview says how neat, detailed, and professional you are.

Some tips on how to dress to impress your interviewer are:

• Accessorize properly. Wear a nice gold or silver watch. Make sure it's tasteful and not too flashy.
• Wear nice and subtle eye makeup if you have to.
• Be aware of styles and trends that are in vogue in your industry and apply accordingly.
• Wear bold colors. Colors like turquoise, white, pink, purple, and olive green are excellent bright colors for an interview. If you decide to play it safe by wearing cooler colors —like navy, black and brown, consider pairing it with a pop of color. For example, a woman wearing a black suit may decide to pair it with a pink camisole and a pink shoe or bag.
• Use the right amount of perfume. Avoid anything with an overpowering scent but make sure you wear an appealing perfume.

Remember that the way you dress for the interview should conform to the workplace dress code. If you are unsure of the dress code, choose smart casual. If it is a video interview, pay attention to your background, as it is just as important as your attire. Check that everything in the view is clean and fits within the workspace. Never use a fake background,

4. Reach out to the interviewer after the interview

Following up after an interview, especially if it’s done thoughtfully, will help you to be the candidate that leaves a lasting impression.

It’s an old-fashioned courtesy that is likely to help you gain approval or better yet give you another chance to get your name in front of your potential employer and strut your stuff (a little more). As you reach out, you may also reference parts of the interview to show that you were fully engaged throughout the process. Struggling to follow up the right way? Learn how to follow up properly here.

What’s your go-to strategy for standing out in a job interview? Let us know in the comments!