What is Your Plan to Stand Out?

As part of Job Seeker Pro, I review a lot of resumes, LinkedIn profiles, email follow-ups, and work samples. And I’ll be honest—most of them blend in.

But every once in a while… Something jumps out and grabs me.  It’s memorable. It’s powerful. I can *feel* it. I started asking myself: What makes those stand out? Why did I remember that one line, that one sentence, that one story? Turns out… it wasn’t just a *gut* feeling. It’s science.

I’m going to show you the exact strategies I coach inside Job Seeker Pro—and then I’ll break down the brain-based WHYs behind it.

Step 1: Use “Snappy Stories” Everywhere

When job seekers first come to me, their resumes usually read like a job description. “Here’s what I did.” Cool. But that’s not what gets attention.

I teach my students to drop in Snappy Stories—quick transformation stories—under each role on their resume and LinkedIn. Why? Because stories trigger brain activity in a way that facts and bullets don’t. When you read a story, your brain lights up like you’re experiencing it yourself.
Source: The Ariel Group

Science: This effect is called neural coupling. It’s why storytelling creates emotional engagement and attention in ways lists can’t.

Step 2: Start With the Pain

Once the story format is in place, I push people to go deeper: Start with the pain.

What was broken before you showed up? What frustrated your team, your client, your boss? This instantly makes the story relatable.

🔬 Science: Behavioral economists call this loss aversion. Our brains are wired to respond more strongly to potential loss or pain than to potential gain.
Source: Kahneman & Tversky, 1979

Step 3: Share What You Did—and What Happened

Now we pivot: tell me what YOU DID. Be specific. And then? Give me the outcome.

Science: According to consumer neuroscience, people are more likely to trust and remember stories when there’s a clear cause-and-effect sequence—problem, action, result
Source: NeuroLeadership Institute

Step 4: Add Real Numbers (Or an Honest Best Guess)

Put some numbers on the transformation story. Example: “We saved $452,000.” or “Forecast accuracy improved by 20.1%.”

Numbers bring gravity. They add *weight*.

Science: Research shows that combining numbers with storytelling boosts persuasion and recall—your brain processes the story emotionally and logically
Source: ChartExpo

Step 5: Name Drop ..the Right Way

DON'T say “worked with an auto manufacturer.” DO say “worked with Ford Motor Company.”

Science: Studies in sales psychology show that specific names create social proof and make claims more believable
Source: Dave Ruch

Final Thought: Want to Stand Out?

If you're trying to get interviews, close offers, and beat the competition, your storytelling has to rock. Literally.

It’s not about becoming a copywriter or hype artist. It’s about learning how to talk about yourself in a way that makes people care.

Add some snappy stories. **

Start with the pain**. Show what you did. Quantify it. Name drop smart.

Let’s make your story one they can’t stop reading.