Want to meet people who are just like you? Hang out in the lobby of a prospective employer. The frustrating truth is that when you apply for a job, you’re competing against professionals who have credentials very similar to your own. That means you either have to make an effort to stand out or accept being anonymous. Use the following tips to help you stand apart at every step in the application process:

• Research the Employer Carefully

There is lots of free information available about every employer. By analyzing it carefully you get insight into the employer’s hiring needs. Read articles in trade publications, scour social media profiles, pour though message boards, bombard Google with searches, and reach out to your network. Try to get a sense of the company culture, the ideal employee, and the mission/goals moving forward. Then use those insights to frame yourself as a candidate who is uniquely suited for this particular position.

• Submit Perfect-Looking Documents

Lesson number one when writing a resume and cover letter is to polish them to perfection; but a lot of job seekers don’t take the time. Your first step is to make the information you include as relevant and impressive as possible. Then work on your formatting and presentation so that the information pops off the page. Finally, check the documents over and over to ensure they don’t contain a single flaw. Perfection stands out in any context.

• Bring Your Personality to the Interview

A hiring manger might interview six candidates and by the end have no real sense of anyone as a person. Rather than trying to be a blandly indistinct professional, show the interviewer who you really are. You don’t want to shock or offend, of course, but you should be willing to crack a joke, talk about yourself outside work, and relate a personal anecdote. You will stand out simply by being who you are.

• Follow Up in the Right Way

Many candidates neglect to follow up after an interview. As a result, when you follow up, you’ll have a lot more of the hiring manager’s attention. A day or two after the interview send out a note or email expressing your enthusiasm for the opportunity and reiterating some of your credentials succinctly. This simple gesture could be what separates you from the rest of the pack.

You can do a lot to make yourself stand out, but what if you had an advocate echoing what makes you special? When you partner with a specialized recruiter, they help you make a stronger and louder impression on potential employers. And since they have a special relationship with the employers themselves, you gain favor simply by affiliating with a trusted recruiter. Put yourself at the top of the list by working with RennerBrown.