Thinking out of the box for ways to land a job requires being “3-D,” an expert recruiter advised.

The three D’s are “daring, different, and discoverable.”

Everybody networks and mass-mails their cover letters and resumes, which sit in pools of thousands of other similar documents, all vying for the attention of one overworked human resources manager. If you don’t want to be treated like just another piece of paper waiting to be filed or tossed, figure out a way to stand out from the crowd. Market your skills and capabilities to a specific person or select group of people.

There is nothing wrong with the job market and there are available positions waiting for the best candidates to fill the position. The point is that an increasing number of job applicants targeting at one job has turned the job battle into a highly competitive place. Even though employers have more choices to select the better out of the best, they are struggling more to decide among candidates. Candidates are now equally qualified academically, with previous experiences and other non-technical skills.

The key is to create a human connection with the recruiter/employer through your job application and online profile.

What does it mean?

– Research and show your passion. If you are interested in a position or a company, start by doing research on them. Following the company on their channels and social media. Focus on their publications, news, reviews, feedback and other updates.

– Educate yourself with the company background, their products and the industry. More importantly, share your knowledge and your opinions to them via their public groups and media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Blogs…). You can gradually grab attention from an employer as a rich source of knowledge and valuable information. You will then stand out from other candidates.

– Take extra care of your online presence along with your conventional paper based portfolio. Present your professionalism. Showcase your network and personalities. Make your employers know you even before meeting you in person.

For example: to get the job of her choice, a lady found interesting ways to reach out to the vice president charged with filling a high-tech position.

She began by delivering a handwritten note which presented her qualifications and her reasons for being the best candidate for the job, to the vice president while he was attending a meeting in her town. Then she sent a more polished presentation package to his headquarters by express mail and asked his assistant to hand-deliver it to him upon his return. Her initiative and persistence paid off because she got the job, Limperos said.

“Another client was unhappy at being an underestimated and overlooked the vice president of a Fortune 500 company. He wanted to be taken seriously and to be considered for more challenging roles and promotions. To project a positive image and showcase his capabilities to decision makers who could open doors and further his climb up the career ladder, he wrote articles for, and became a source for, the journals read by that group.”