How to Stand Out from 99% of Candidates with a Digital Presence That Works

Or Bar Cohen
Jul 24, 2025
3 min read

Your resume is scanned in six seconds. That’s not a metaphor — it’s research-backed reality (Ladders, 2018). And if it doesn’t spark interest instantly, it’s forgotten just as fast.

So, how do competent candidates stand out?

By transforming their static resumes into dynamic digital stories — something that hiring managers don’t just scan but remember. Below are three powerful strategies to build a magnetic digital presence, supported by academic insights and practical, step-by-step instructions.

1. Turn Your LinkedIn Profile Into a Personal Website

A traditional resume flattens your story. A personal website unfolds it — visually, contextually, and memorably. Candidates with a professional online presence are viewed as more credible, proactive, and creative (Berkelaar & Buzzanell, 2014).

How to implement it

Thanks to tools like Gamma.app, you can launch a sleek site in under 5 minutes.

Open your LinkedIn profile → Print → “Save as PDF”
Go to Gamma.app and click “Create new.”
Choose “Import file or URL” and upload the LinkedIn PDF
Select "Webpage" view
Customize your content and theme
Add multimedia: videos, links, testimonials, or case studies
Publish — and you now have a digital portfolio that’s miles ahead of most resumes

This move alone puts you ahead of 99% of candidates - because while most say they’re innovative, you’re showing it.

2. Bring Your Personality to Life Through Multimedia

Resumes don’t reveal your tone of voice, energy, or how you connect with people, but those things matter. Research indicates that employers not only hire for skills but also seek candidates who align with a company's culture and values (Kristof-Brown et al., 2005).

How to implement it

Record a short (60–90 seconds) intro video — who you are, what drives you, what excites you about your field.
Embed it on the homepage of your new site.
Ask former colleagues, mentors, or clients for video or audio testimonials — even a 30-second WhatsApp voice message works.
Add them to a dedicated "What others say" page.

This turns your professional presence into something authentic and memorable — a far cry from generic PDFs.

3. Build a Living Portfolio - Even If You're Not a Designer

Think portfolios are only for designers or developers? Think again. Anyone — in HR, operations, finance, or even early-career roles — can showcase work through brief case studies, real impact, and tangible results.

Why it works

Harvard research indicates that we remember specific, story-driven content far more effectively than abstract claims (Heath & Heath, 2007). And in hiring, proof > promises.

How to implement it

Write 3–5 short case snapshots using this formula:
- The problem
- What you did
- What changed
Include visuals when possible: screenshots, charts, timelines, or links
Add them to a “Projects” or “Case Studies” page on your site

Even if your work isn’t “visual,” your thinking, problem-solving, and results are. And when you make them visible, you build credibility.

From PDF to Personal Brand

So, what makes a hiring manager pause?

Not just credentials — context. Not just data — story. And not just claims — evidence.

By creating a personal website, showing your voice through video, and documenting your work in case studies, you stop being “just another applicant” and start being a candidate people want to know more about.

Complete guide for this article available on the downloadable guide store

Want to learn more hacks to elevate your job search? Be sure to check out the premium guide for "under the radar" job search and the complete networking guide.

Bibliography

Berkelaar, B. L., & Buzzanell, P. M. (2014). Cybervetting, person–organization fit, and personnel selection: Employers' surveillance and sensemaking of job applicants’ online information. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 42(4), 456–476.
Kristof-Brown, A. L., Zimmerman, R. D., & Johnson, E. C. (2005). Consequences of individuals’ fit at work: A meta-analysis of person–job, person–organization, person–group, and person–supervisor fit. Personnel Psychology, 58(2), 281–342.
Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2007). Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die. Random House.