Tips to Impress Hiring Managers

After helping 53 people secure roles they love this year, here are 3 high-impact, unconventional tactics that worked: 1. Treat your job search like a product launch. You are the product, and the job market is your audience. Create a “personal pitch deck” (a PDF/slide deck/website portfolio) that highlights your biggest wins, projects, and measurable impact. This stands out far more than a résumé and gives recruiters a reason to take notice. Bonus: Send it alongside your application. 2. Become the solution before you’re hired. Identify a company you admire. Research their challenges—public reports, news, or job postings will hint at priorities. Then, draft a mini solution or improvement plan. For example, “I noticed X trend in your operations. With my experience in Y, I could help streamline Z, resulting in [tangible benefit].” It’s gutsy, but it works. 3. Use “show, don’t tell” applications. Stop telling hiring managers you’re great—show them. If you’re a professional: Build a quick prototype, write a script, or record a process walkthrough. For service-based roles, create a short case study: “Here’s how I solved X and improved Y.” Sharing proof of your expertise immediately sets you apart and makes hiring you a no-brainer. The job market rewards boldness.

I can't tell you the last time I looked at a resume in over 12 years of hiring, and I've hired many people. It's not even a nonstarter. I don't even think about it. I know others will disagree with me, but I don't find any value in the PDF version of your LinkedIn page. I'll just go to LinkedIn. But don't despair; there are many ways to garner attention, be introduced, or stand out. 1. Follow-up notes - it's incredible how often I do not receive a follow-up message after a conversation. It's so easy to do. Here's my opinion on the best follow-up message setup: (1) Thank the person for their time. (2) Bullet point a couple of things you learned from the conversation (3) Ask a question to re-engage. Send the follow-up within an hour of the interview. Send a note to each participant if it's a group meeting or panel. IMPORTANT: If you don't get a response after your first note, could you send a couple more? People are busy, and the inbox is even busier. 2. Use video - I always appreciate it when an applicant uses Loom or another video provider to send an introduction or thank you video. It's a rare occurrence that surprises me due to its ease of use. 3. Please research the role and be sure you are a fit. Are you framing your qualifications to match what the hiring managers are looking for? Ensure you fully understand what you are applying for. 4. Research the team and understand the company. Who are your hiring manager's peers? Who else would you want to meet? If you are interviewing with the CMO, contact the CRO or VP of Sales and try to schedule a meeting. It doesn't hurt to ask. There is no excuse not to research with tools like LinkedIn available to you. 5. Get an introduction before applying - Once you research and meet a couple of people from the company, ask for an introduction. I can count on both hands how often I've received an introduction from a team member for a role I am hiring for. Even better, if you are a referral from a trusted peer, you go to the top of the list, no matter what. 6. Prepare with questions—Spend an inordinate amount of time listing out questions you want to ask the interviewer. Discuss the role expectations, but don't forget to ask questions specifically about them, such as "Why did you choose to work here?" etc. Hiring great people isn’t about resumes but connections, preparation, and effort. Don’t rely on the same old playbook if you want to stand out. Get creative, do the work, and show why you’re the best fit for the role. The good news? Most people won’t do these things. That’s your edge.

I've interviewed 100s of people for 6-figure roles. (Here's what nobody tells you...) It's not the most qualified candidate who gets the job. It's the best prepared for the interview. How to prep like the top 1%: 1. Research the company like you already work there. ↳ Know their challenges, victories, and latest news. 2. Practice your answers out loud. ↳ What sounds good in your head may not when spoken. 3. Prepare 3 specific stories that showcase your skills. ↳ Focus on your adaptability and leadership. 4. Study the job description. Find the top 3 skills they want. ↳ Then craft examples proving you have them. 5. Do a mock interview with a trusted person. ↳ Someone who will give you honest feedback. 💡 And 7 questions to ask that make YOU stand out: 99% of candidates ask basic questions at the end. Don't waste this opportunity to impress! Ask these instead: ➟ What does success look like in the first 90 days? ➟ What are the biggest challenges facing the team that I could help solve? ➟ How would you describe the management style of the person I'd be reporting to? ➟ What distinguishes your top performers from everyone else? ➟ How does the company support professional development and growth? ➟ What made YOU decide to join this company, and what keeps you here? ➟ What do new employees find surprising after they start? The best candidates don't just answer questions. They create meaningful conversations. Remember: Interviews are a two-way street. You're evaluating them just as much as they are you. You spend 90,000 hours of your life at work. Choose a company and manager that support your growth. Your career will thank you. P.S. What's your best tip for nailing your interview? Share in the comments to help others prepare. ♻️ Valuable? Repost to share with your network. 🔖 Follow Justin Wright for more on career success. Want my 80 best cheat sheets? Get them here for free: BrillianceBrief.com   

[Spoiler: Reflections from a Hiring Process / Tips for Job Seekers] We found our Partnerships Manager (!!) and I couldn’t be more excited about who we brought on! While the search is still fresh in my brain, I wanted to share a few quick hiring reflections — especially for job seekers navigating their next move: 1. Thank You Notes Still Matter! It’s not going to make or break the hiring process, but I appreciated when someone followed up, ESPECIALLY with insights from our call. 2. Messaging the hiring manager on LinkedIn is not a secret anymore (RIP my inbox), BUT it definitely makes you more likely to get seen. I reviewed most of the DMs/resumes in my inbox (not sure if that is normal?). If someone was highly qualified/sent a thoughtful note (see: thoughtful NOT long), I likely passed their name along to the recruiter for a second look. 3. Crush your resume. I was surprised by how many resumes (even from people with solid experience) had typos, grammatical errors, or formatting issues. Your resume is often the first (and sometimes only) impression we get. For detail-oriented roles (like this one), those mistakes are hard to ignore. 4. I’d recommend against asking for a team member's time once the job has been posted. AKA if you’re reaching out post-listing, I’ll typically route qualified candidates through our formal interview process after you’ve applied. Why? Because I can’t get on the phone with everyone (or I would… trust me), but realistically, I rely on our recruiting team to help screen candidates. That's how we keep the process thoughtful and efficient. 5. Warm intros are still the way to go. If a friend or colleague of mine is able to vouch for you professionally, I am much more likely to take a second look / take a call if it's a really warm (dare I say piping hot?) intro. BONUS: If you aren't a "perfect match" but want to show interest, the best time to reach out is before anything is posted. That kind of proactive connection is a great way to stand out. (But please don’t take this as an open invitation to DM me 😅 my inbox is STILL in recovery mode.) Agree? Qs? If you’ve hired recently, what do you think of the points above? P.S. QUICK SHOUT OUT to Sarah Elton & Jaime Petkanics who consistently crush the hiring process and have been so supportive while recruiting the epic Grüns team!! #hiringprocess #jobtips

Want to stand out in your next interview? Master these 5 things before you apply. I've prepped 1000+ people for job interviews. Most hiring managers are looking for these 5 things: 1) Clear talk about complex work ↳ Can you explain hard things simply? ↳ Do you speak with confidence? ↳ Can you teach something quickly? 2) Signs you did your homework ↳ Did you look beyond their website? ↳ Are your questions well-thought-out? ↳ Do you get their main challenges? 3) People skills in real time ↳ How well do you listen? ↳ Do you give short, clear answers? ↳ Can you go with the flow? 4) Proof your resume is true ↳ Can you back up every claim? ↳ Do your stories match your resume? ↳ Does your career path make sense? 5) Real excitement about the job ↳ Can you say why THIS company? ↳ Do you show energy in the call? ↳ Are you asking about growth? Most hiring managers know pretty quickly. Not based on skills alone. But on how you come across. The best people aren't always the most skilled. They're the ones who understand the real test. We see these patterns daily as recruiters. Steve Bartel Melissa Grabiner Ian Roughley Joel Lalgee Kash (Kashif) Mian Jason Rosen Samuel K Arthur Correa I would love to hear your take or any additional advice for talent in the job market. P.S What's the best interview question you've been asked?