Demi Yilmaz

How to Actually Stand Out When Applying

Hey, we get a lot of messages like

• “here’s my experience”
• “let me know if you have time for a call”
• “here are 2 pages of ideas”

These efforts show hustle — and that’s a great starting point. But hustle alone doesn’t guarantee you’ll stand out. This post is meant to help you understand and increase your effectiveness for next job applications.

Common Pitfalls

❌ Listing achievements with no context
❌ Pitching generic skills
❌ Sending a list of ideas
❌ Explaining why you’re a good fit
❌ Requesting a call
❌ Sending CV

What does stand out?

1. Doing research, identify real pain points, and show initiative to address them
2. Thinking before speaking, and focus on us, not them
3. Being problem oriented instead of solution oriented
4. Ability to write pages worth of value in a single sentence

Reaching out directly can absolutely be smart — when it’s done with understanding and intent. That’s the key. This post isn’t to discourage reaching out, but to help you do it in a way that’s genuinely effective.

I hope this helps.
Your effort is noticed — this is just about leveling it up.

Examples

Jack Dorsey