How to stand out in a tough hiring market.
In today’s marketing world, the competition is fierce. There are more candidates than roles, more specialisms than ever, and hiring managers are overwhelmed with choice.
We hope the following 10 practical, high-impact actions you can take right now to stand out in a tough hiring market, especially when clients are risk-averse and focused on like-for-like hires.
- Put the right foundations in place before you do anything.
Your CV and LinkedIn profile must be spot on, and it’s worth putting in the effort. They are the only things working for you when you’re not in the room, and proof of how well you communicate. If they’re unclear, generic, or confusing, you don’t get the interview – no matter how talented you actually are.
Once the foundation is tight, your best work & talent finally becomes visible. Your CV & LinkedIn must tell a clear, confident story, so you stop being another marketer applying for a job and start being someone they want to meet.
- Reposition your CV to match the job exactly.
The market is full of sameness, with hundreds of marketers listing the same skills, same buzzwords, same responsibilities. Most people undersell themselves without realising it – messy layouts, vague job titles, and achievements buried under nonsensical waffle. Hiring teams are playing it safe, so make it easy for them to see you as the perfect fit. Here’s how:
- Mirror the job description language (skills, tools, outcome).
- Put the most relevant experience first.
- Add clear achievements (eg, improved ROI by 31%, reduced CPA by 18%).
This reduces the perceived risk immediately.
- Build a portfolio, even if you’re not a Designer.
In marketing and digital, a portfolio can beat a CV for proving experience and capability. Make sure to include: campaign breakdowns; results (graphs, metrics, before and after); strategy decks; content calendars; and email flows. Even three to four case studies can be game-changing.
- LinkedIn is no longer optional.
It’s often the first place hiring managers look, even after reading your CV. A strong profile builds credibility, trust and personal brand; a weak one creates instant doubt. Hirers also search by keywords, so your headline needs to be strong and searchable. In a sea of ‘Marketing Professional” headlines, you’ll be invisible unless yours truly stands out.
- More roles are filled before they’re advertised
A growing number of roles are being filled quietly, through searches, referral and existing networks – long before a job ad ever goes live. Recruiters and hiring managers are constantly searching for people who look right on paper, and your profile is often the deciding factor. If your headline and positioning are weak or unclear, you’re simply not found, which means you never make it into these early conversations… even when you’re a great fit.
- Have a clear niche or value proposition
Generalists can struggle more in oversaturated markets. So if you have a niche or unique proposition, scream about it where you can! Examples of niches that sell well include: email marketing and CRM for e-commerce brands; paid social for B2B firms; organic content strategy for personal brands. Be known for something specific if you can.
- Network sensibly, not randomly.
Most digital/marketing roles are filled through networks, before they hit the job boards. So we’d advise that you do this every week:
- Message hiring managers (not HR).
- Attend one to two virtual industry meetups.
- Comment meaningfully on posts from CMOs, founders, and recruiters in your niche market.
You only need one or two strong connections to change your situation.
- Employers want proof.
Even if you’re unemployed, you can demonstrate expertise by building micro projects. This could be auditing a brand’s marketing funnel, creating a mock content plan, producing a simple ad strategy, or writing a UX analysis of a website. These projects will take between 30 and 90 minutes and massively differentiate you.
- Prep your interview stories.
Risk-averse employers want clarity that you’ve solved real problems and understand the job at hand. Which is why you should prepare a few stories that cover growth wins, campaign failures and learnings, efficiency improvements, team/agency collaboration, and technical challenges. And don’t forget to finish each story with “And, the result was…”
- Apply smarter, not harder
Applying to 200 generic roles doesn’t work. Instead, you should:
- Apply to fewer roles but tailor each one heavily.
- Target companies that already hired people with your background.
- Prioritise companies that are actively growing (track hiring trends, funding, new product launches).
Treat your job search like a marketing campaign. You are the product, and success comes from getting the fundamentals right: clear positioning that defines what makes you unique, strong messaging that tells your story, smart distribution so you show up in the right places, proof through portfolios, testimonials and KPIs, and consistent follow-ups that nurture opportunities.
Candidates who apply marketing thinking to their job search consistently outperform everyone else.