TRANSCRIPT
Back when I was recruiting for marketing roles in talent acquisition, I noticed something. Most resumes blurred together. But the ones that stood out had four things in common. Let’s talk about what they did differently and why it worked.
Most candidates make a crucial mistake. They just mirror the job description, but they don’t anticipate the hiring manager’s hidden pain points.
Here’s how to stand out. Research the company’s recent challenges. Maybe they’ve pivoted to video or their CEO mentioned they’re struggling with lead quality. In your resume, frame your past wins as solutions.
Scaled lead generation by 200% amid shifting algorithms.
Built a content engine during a rebrand.
Ninety percent of you are hiding your most valuable experience. Those freelance gigs and side projects aren’t just odd jobs. They’re your golden ticket.
Here’s how to turn them into resume gold.
Step one: Reframe your mindset. Freelancing equals running your own micro agency. You handle client acquisition, which is sales. You handle profit and loss, which is finance. And delivering under pressure, which is client management.
Step two: Use a power format. Maintained 80% client retention rate through strategic upsells.
Step three: Connect the dots. That e-commerce store you helped is proof you understand conversion psychology, budget optimization, and data-driven decision making. That’s how you turn a side hustle into a must hire.
Now let’s talk about the AI advantage. And no, I’m not talking about adding ChatGPT to your skills section.
What separates the winners is how they frame the experience. Hiring managers don’t care if you can use AI tools. They care if you can leverage them to drive business results.
The most compelling candidates show strategic application. How you integrated AI into real workflows. The measurable impact, the before and after. And the human oversight, where your expertise guided the tool.
You’re not just listing a tool. You’re showing judgment in application and business impact from adoption.
Your quick win action step is to take your best AI assisted win and frame it using this structure: tool, process improvement, business result.
Your final power move to stand out is to add a trend testing section.
For example: Q1 2024 piloted TikTok SEO hacks and drove 2 million impressions. This shows you’re not just following trends, you’re ahead of them.
So what’s your resume edge? That unexpected side project, quirky certification, or off-the-wall experience you’ve been keeping tucked away might actually be your secret weapon.
If you want to see real examples and get deeper insights on how to highlight your edge the right way, check out the full blog on the Enhancv website. It’s packed with tips, templates, and standout stories you don’t want to miss.
Read the full guide on Enhancv.com
