How to stand out in your job search

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Use this guide to increase visibility and stand out. The point is to make it easy for recruiters, hiring managers, and your network to understand where you fit, what you do well, and why they should remember you.

The 3 things that make people stand out

1) Getting clear on your positioning

One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is sounding too broad.

Saying:

• “I can do anything in marketing.”
• “My skills are transferable.”
• “I’m open to a lot of different things.”

They might feel flexible, but it doesn’t help recruiters, hiring managers, or friends in your network understand where you fit.

The clearer you are, the easier it is for the right opportunities to find you.

Focus on 3 things:

1. Title - What types of roles are you targeting?
2. Lane - What function or area do you want to be known for?
3. Strengths - What is your unique superpower? How have you made an impact in the past?
4. If you’re stuck, use AI

AI Prompt: Based on my experience, what roles am I best positioned for, and how should I talk about my background? Upload your resume.

2) Show proof on LinkedIn.

Your LinkedIn should be treated like a portfolio. Ask yourself: if someone looked at my profile for 10 seconds, would they know where to place me?

This is where you show your work, wins, projects, your point of view, press, samples.

Examples:

• If you work in marketing:
  • “I helped grow our newsletter CTR from x to y by changing the subject line strategy.”
  • “3 things I learned from building a content series that actually drove leads.”

SCREENSHOT 2

• If you work in design:
  • “How I approached redesigning a signup flow to make it more intuitive.”
  • “A small UX change that made a big difference.”
  • “What I’d improve about this product experience and why.”

3) Stay top of mind

A lot of opportunities can come from referrals. Reconnect with old coworkers, reach out to recruiters, check in with former managers, and engage with people in your industry. LinkedIn is a low lift way to do this.