How to Stand Out Professionally

First impressions matter. Starting with your introduction. I’ve seen too many people wing their introductions. Big mistake. Top 1% communicators never underestimate first impressions. They know how to become instantly memorable. When I work with my CEO coaching clients, I ensure they stand out. You can steal my method: Record yourself introducing yourself in 30 seconds. Then ask: Would you be interested in meeting this person? Would you remember them a day later? If not: Rewrite. Rehearse. Refine. Use these 7 strategies to ace your next intro: 1 - The Networking Pitch - Daniel Priestley 🟢 Name Say it slowly. Own the moment. Smile. 🟢 Same Say what you do in familiar terms. 🟢 Fame Share a line of credibility. 🟢 Aim What are you focused on right now? 🟢 Game End with your bigger vision. 2 - Nail Your Non-Verbal → Real smile (no fake smiles) → Stand tall, shoulders back, face them directly → Avoid awkwardness: signal handshake, hug, or wave 3 - The 5-Second Intro Practice this all-purpose 3-step formula: Who you are → What you do → Who it helps 4 - Use Micro-Stories Instead of listing titles or credentials, embed a 1-sentence story: “I used to write speeches for government leaders. Now I coach founders on how to own the room.” 5 - Show Your Energy, Not Just Expertise Most introductions are soulless and bloodless. But energy is magnetic. 6 - Tailor Your Intro To The Room: 💼 Boardroom: Lead with credibility and clarity. 🎤 Stage: Start with a story or question. ☕ Networking: Keep it casual and curiosity-driven. 7 - Avoid These Mistakes 🚅 Saying your name too fast. 🥱 Being forgettable: “I’m in communications” 🪽 Winging it – first impressions matter! What do you pay attention to when you introduce yourself? - - - - ♻️ Repost to help others, too. And follow Oliver Aust for more on leadership communications. ♟️ Want to become a top 1% communicator? Reach out here: https://lnkd.in/dc-TBhZU

I reviewed over 3,000 resumes in 4 years, here’s how you can stand out 💃🏻🕺 After reviewing more than 3,000 resumes in the past 4 years, I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the forgettable, from fresh grads to experienced hires with 40 years of work behind them. Whether it’s your first job or a dream role, here’s how to stand out: 1. Find the third door 🔑 Think of job applications like a nightclub. Everyone uses the main entrance, but there’s always a third door, a creative, non-traditional approach that sets you apart. Don’t rely solely on traditional methods. 2. Cold emails & DMs work 📧 Don’t wait for job postings. Reach out directly with cold emails or DMs to companies or individuals you admire. Many opportunities aren’t posted publicly. 3. Persistence is key 🔁 Don’t give up if you don’t get a reply right away. Sometimes it takes multiple follow-ups over time to reach the right person. 4. Seize opportunities quickly ⏳ When you hear of a job opportunity, even casually, act immediately. Timing and decisiveness can make all the difference. 5. Make it easy to say yes ✅ Simplify the decision for employers. Offering a trial period or showing how you can solve their problems makes it easy for them to say yes. 6. Lead with value 💡 Focus on how you can help the employer, not just what you want from the job. Show them how you can solve their challenges and contribute. 7. Go above and beyond 🎯 Consider adding a relevant work sample, a video, or ideas in your application. Small, extra efforts make a huge difference. 8. Show, don’t tell 📂 Build a portfolio. Showing your work, even small projects, is always better than just listing skills on your resume. 9. Avoid buzzwords 🚫 Skip overused terms like “team player” or “synergy.” Be specific about your achievements and back them up with measurable results. These tips aren’t just about impressing employers, they’re about showing you’re the right person for the job. Take that extra step and make it impossible for them to ignore you. 🚀 Below is a resume example that you can use as a reference to craft the perfect application. Share this post if you found it helpful and feel free to DM me if you need help with your resume. Happy Sunday and stay safe❤️ #ayu #resume

As a junior lawyer, I was told to "take ownership" of the work but didn't get much guidance on what it actually meant. Here are 6 actions that junior lawyers can take to do this: 1️⃣ Correspondence When you're copied into email chains with clients, offer to do the first draft of the document / task / email response instead of waiting for it to be delegated to you. You can also ghostwrite draft emails* (from instructing lawyer to client), instead of sending internal emails (you to instructing lawyer) that they'd need to redraft for the client. Include notes where you have questions / assumptions. 2️⃣ Project management Keep track of key dates and the next actions that would follow your immediate task and check if you can help out with those next actions too. If you're not sure, just ask! "Thanks for getting me to help out with this task. I'd love to stay involved in the matter but I haven't worked on this sort of project before. Would you mind walking me through the next steps and where somebody with my experience could assist?" Also, if you're waiting for a senior lawyer to review your work and it's approaching a deadline, give them a reminder. "Hi, just wanted to remind you that we need to send out that advice on Friday. I sent you a draft on Tuesday. Please let me know if there's anything I should amend, or if you'd like me to send it again." 3️⃣ Provide solutions, not problems If you identify a problem with a task / matter, take some time to think about a potential solution instead of just passing the problem to your supervisor. "As I was [doing this task], I found that [Step 2] wasn't working because of [reason]. I think we can still achieve the same result if we do [potential solution]. Do you think that would work?" 4️⃣ Be prepared to challenge instructions The ultimate goal is to achieve the client's desired outcome, not to perfectly follow instructions that may be flawed. If you see an issue with your instructing lawyer's (or the client's) instructions, speak up and be prepared to offer an alternative. 5️⃣ Understand the business side of things Doing the actual work isn't the whole job. Take some time to learn about the budget for the matters, your hourly rates, what to write in your billing narratives, how each client likes to communicate (phone calls, emails, client portal uploads), and who the client needs to report to / get approval from. 6️⃣ Communicate leave and coordinate handovers When you take leave – communicate in advance, check with your team to see if there is coverage, and give your team proper handovers for matters that might continue during your leave period. Sending a calendar invite for your leave period and preparing handover notes* can also be helpful. * I've written guides on the asterisked things. Let me know in the comments if you'd like a link. 📌What else do you think junior lawyers can do to demonstrate that they're "taking ownership" of their work?

The Class of 2025 faces unprecedented challenges—but your greatest asset isn't just your degree, it's your capacity for transformation. Research consistently shows that sustainable career success emerges from internal motivation: ↳ 68% higher employment satisfaction when work aligns with personal values, according to Workforce Analytics ↳ 2.9x greater career resilience when skills development is self-directed, according to Harvard Business Review ↳ 81% improved interview performance when candidates articulate authentic purpose, according to PSYCHOMETRIC RECRUITMENT LIMITED To activate your career transformation engine, master these five essential components: 🔹 Design your "Skills Acceleration System": Map your learning against emerging industry needs. Graduates who dedicate 5 hours weekly to strategic upskilling secure roles 40% faster (LinkedIn Workforce Report). 🔹 Craft your "Rejection Resilience Protocol": Convert interview feedback into growth opportunities. Candidates who implement structured feedback review processes receive 3x more follow-up interviews. 🔹 Develop your "Network Cultivation Rhythm": Create systematic touchpoints with industry connections. Professionals with consistent relationship-building practices receive 57% more unsolicited opportunities. 🔹 Create your "Opportunity Visibility Framework": Establish daily practices that position you where serendipity happens. Graduates in 3+ industry communities encounter 4x more "hidden market" roles. 🔹 Formulate your "Professional Identity Narrative": Craft and practice your unique value proposition until it becomes second nature. Candidates with coherent personal narratives advance 2.5x faster in early career stages. That's how you become career-resilient in a competitive landscape—by systematically building the professional identity that creates opportunities where others see only obstacles. What's one step from this framework that sparks your curiosity? Share below. Coaching can help; let’s chat. Joshua Miller #Classof2025 #CareerAdvice #Executivecoaching

I am wrapping up our hiring process for our first two sales roles at Lawfully. We had over 700 applicants apply—standing out isn’t easy. For these roles I was the recruiter, hiring manager, and executive sponsor. Here’s my advice on how to stand out: Getting Through to the First Stage— 1. Reach out directly to the recruiter, hiring manager, or executive sponsor I gave priority to candidates who reached out personally. Some sent LinkedIn DMs, while others crafted thoughtful cold emails. Two memorable examples: one email had the subject line “Matt, I’m skiing my way into your inbox,” and another featured a personalized video introducing herself and addressing common interview questions. Make sure your outreach is thoughtful, creative, and mindful of people’s time. Done right, it sets you apart Done poorly, it can backfire. 2. Make your Linkedin look professional Many applicants had unprofessional profile photos, large employment gaps, or short stints at companies. While you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, with 700 applicants to review, these things can quickly lead to being passed over. You control your LinkedIn narrative and the professional story it tells. Demonstrate to recruiters that you can commit and follow through. 3. Use the right professional jargon. For this SDR role, candidates with SDR experience were fast-tracked to interviews. Ensure your job titles and descriptions align with industry standards to avoid being missed. Make it clear what you do, especially if your role mirrors the position you’re applying for. Getting Through the Interview Stage— 1. Research the company before your interview. Out of 60 people I interviewed, only one could identify our competitors, and few provided detailed responses about our products and services. One candidate couldn’t name a single thing about Lawfully, while another was clearly reading straight off our homepage. Take the time to learn about the company. It shows genuine interest and sets you apart. 2. Answer all the questions. I evaluated candidates on several criteria, including experience, passion, coach-ability, and their ability to learn. To gauge learning, I asked their favorite books—professional or otherwise. If someone admitted they didn’t read, it was a quick signal to move on. 3. Answer positively and tie it back to the role and your strengths. Strike the right balance between positivity and authenticity. Candidates who dwelled on negative experiences sent a clear sign they weren’t the right fit. 4. Align your answers with company & hiring manager goals When candidates nailed this, they were an automatic pass. One standout example was a candidate who asked about our goals right at the start of the interview. Throughout the conversation, he consistently explained how he would help us reach our milestone. I’ve got 20 more tips to share—including what it takes to crush the final round. Drop a comment, and I’ll send them your way!

Most professionals share everything except what makes them different. They publish activity, not insight. It's like a crowded radio dial. Everyone's broadcasting at once - you hear static, noise, and dozens of overlapping voices saying roughly the same thing. But one clear frequency cuts through. That frequency is insight. Here's what activity sounds like: "Just wrapped up an incredible client project" "Loved the energy at today's conference" "Thrilled to share our Q3 results" Here's what insight sounds like: "Three questions I now ask every client that predict project failure before it happens" "Why the best conference ROI comes from coffee breaks - and how to engineer them" "The Q3 mistake that doubled our results (and what it taught us about customer timing)" The difference isn't talent or experience. It's one simple shift: instead of sharing what happened, share what you noticed. Most people stop at "Here's what I did." The professionals who break through ask "What did I learn that others might miss?" Here's how to extract insight from any experience: ✅ Look for the pattern ↳ What happened more than once? What surprised you? What defied conventional wisdom? ✅ Turn it into a principle ↳ Create a rule or framework others can test in their own work. ✅ Prove it with specifics ↳ Give concrete examples that help people recognize the pattern. The content that breaks through isn't the loudest. It's the clearest. Most busy professionals create content that sounds like everyone else's, but may actually have unique insights waiting to be shared. ➕ Follow Dorie Clark for strategies on building a distinctive professional voice that cuts through the noise.

The secret to standing out isn’t being the best—it’s being different. You don’t need to compete with others on their terms; instead, build a unique combination of skills that only you can bring to the table. This is how you carve a path that’s uniquely yours. This is the advice I shared with young people who feel the pressure to be the “best.” Comparing yourself with others can be an exhausting downward spiral. Your uniqueness is your superpower. Rewrite the rules to work for you. When you’re starting out, carve out a niche. The more narrow it is, the easier it is to stand out and excel. Once you gain a foothold, you can broaden your skillset and expand your impact. Think of it as building a “skills stack.” The idea is simple but powerful: instead of trying to master one area, combine complementary skills from different domains. Each skill you acquire becomes a multiplier for the others. You don’t need to be the best at any single skill—being good at a unique combination is enough to make you stand out. Early in my career, I specialized as an economist. But over time, I recognized that solving complex problems required a multifaceted approach. So, I adapted: blending economics with history, financial markets with psychology, and finance with storytelling. This interdisciplinary approach allowed me to create my own game. Following my own path made work feel like a journey, not a competition. It kept me from getting lost in the trap of comparison. Start small: Choose a skill you’re curious about and think about how it could enhance what you already know. Over time, your stack will grow, making you uniquely equipped for opportunities no one else can match. The world doesn’t need more copies. It needs you, as you are. How are you building your own skills stack? And what advice would you give to those striving to be the best?

I’ve worked with so many students who are brilliant, but might not sound like it. They often ramble and stumble (if someone didn’t know them personally, they might label them as “not bright”). Here’s how I have trained 10,000+ students to sound smart (without faking it): 1. Speak in short, structured sentences Using big words and long sentences is the fastest way to lose credibility. People can see that you’re hiding behind jargon. So, instead: • Use short, declarative sentences • Pick simple, specific words • Structure your thoughts (“First... Second... Third...”) And here’s a bonus: pair your points with gestures (like holding up fingers). It increases your clarity, both verbally and nonverbally. — 2. Clarity = Competence Get to the point fast. Explain: • The problem • The solution • What you don’t know, and how you’ll figure it out That last one is underrated. Being able to say “Here’s what I don’t know (yet)” shows confidence, not weakness. — 3. Pay attention to your body gestures Avoid touching your face, fidgeting, or rubbing your neck during a conversation. These subconscious gestures signal “I’m nervous and unsure,” which erodes trust and credibility. . – 4. Want a confidence boost? Try this mindset: “I’m lucky.” Before a big meeting, pitch, or interview, try this: “I’m the perfect person for this. I’m lucky to be here, and they’re lucky to have me.” This mindset instantly upgrades your posture, tone, and energy. People trust those who believe in themselves. We trust people who feel lucky and capable. — 5. Know your story. Own your role. People with strong narrative identity—who know how their story fits into the moment—radiate confidence. Go in knowing: • What you bring • What do you want • How does this opportunity fit your bigger story — 6. One last tip: Nail the first impression. Before any big interaction, ask: “How can I be of service?” It instantly reorients your focus away from nerves, and toward connection. Whether you're in sales, therapy, leadership, or interviewing, that simple question builds warmth and trust. You don’t have to act smart. Speak clearly. Know what you know, own what you don’t, and bring presence and purpose into the room. That’s how you sound like the smart, capable person you already are.

Many financial advisors struggle to build a strong social media brand. But you don’t have to be one of them. When I first started, my social media presence was stagnant. But I quickly realized how crucial it is to build trust and credibility online For financial advisors, it's especially important to understand that your audience values authenticity and expertise above all else. I knew I needed a better strategy to grow on social media. So, I worked hard to understand my audience and experimented with different types of content. Over time, I figured out what works, and now I’m sharing these strategies with you. ✅ Share Your Daily Habits: → Let people in on the routines that shape your day and your financial expertise → Authenticity helps build a stronger connection with your clients. ✅ Highlight Your Unique Traits: → Make sure your posts reflect your true personality and financial philosophy. → Be yourself; it’s the best way to stand out in the crowded market. ✅ Understand Your Audience: → Get to know your clients' needs and connect with them on a deeper level. →Tailor your content to what they find valuable and interesting. ✅ Be Open About Your Thoughts: → Share your decision-making process and market insights. → Transparency fosters trust and credibility in your financial advice. ✅ Show Your Passion: → Don’t hesitate to be emotionally open about why you do what you do. → Genuine emotions resonate deeply and build loyalty. ✅ Engage Consistently: → Regular interaction builds trust and familiarity. → Make engagement a daily habit to stay top of mind. ✅ Share Success Stories: →Highlight your clients' achievements and how you helped them reach their goals. → Real success stories motivate potential clients and provide valuable insights. ✅ Provide Value: → Offer actionable insights or tips that can help your audience in their financial journey. → Valuable content keeps your audience coming back for more. Your authenticity is your strongest asset. Use it to build real connections and make a lasting impact. How do you keep your social media content engaging and authentic? P.s. ✍🏻 I am Benjamin Loh, CSP, a strategic growth coach and consultant who has taught over 65,000 leaders in over 20 global cities and constructed some of the leading icons (TOT, Award Winners) in the financial industry in Asia through the power of authentic storytelling and authority building. 💪 Enjoy this post? Follow me for personal brand and growth insights. #topofmind #millennials #business

You don’t need to do more to stand out. You need to be more seen. Too many brilliant professionals- especially women - are: Overdelivering. Burning out. Still feeling overlooked. Why? → Because many of are socialized to believe that hard work alone will get us noticed. → That competence will automatically lead to recognition. → That speaking up is arrogance. → That self-promotion is selfish. But in many organizations, what gets seen gets valued. And what gets valued gets rewarded. Research from the Center for Talent Innovation shows that people who are known for their work are 2x as likely to be promoted. Visibility, when done right, isn’t vanity. It’s value. It’s how we shift from being the best-kept secret to being seen as a strategic leader.. Here are 7 practical ways to stand out - without working 24/7: 🔹 1. Make Your Work Visible Great work doesn’t speak for itself. You do. → Share wins in meetings. → Share impact: “Here’s the impact this had...” 🔹 2. Say No to Low-Leverage Work If everything feels urgent, nothing feels strategic. → Ask: “Is this the highest use of my time?” → Let go of hero mode. Choose high-value work. 🔹 3. Speak Up - Before It’s Perfect Waiting for “perfect” means missing moments. → Share early ideas. → Try: “This is still evolving, but here’s where I’m at…” 🔹 4. Build Strategic Relationships Visibility is amplified by connection. → Map your influence circle. → Ask: “How can I support their success?” 🔹 5. Ask for Feedback - Before They Offer It Don’t wait for performance reviews. → Say: “How could I improve this?” → Show that you’re coachable and committed. 🔹 6. Communicate with Story, Not Status People remember transformation, not tasks. → Share: “Here was the problem → what I tried → what happened.” → Make your impact visible - with heart. 🔹 7. Protect Your Energy Like It’s Gold Exhaustion ≠ effectiveness. → Block deep work time. → Try: “I’m unavailable now, but can circle back by ...” You don’t have to prove your worth by overworking. You prove it by leading with clarity, not just effort. 💬 Which shift will you start with? 📌 Save this. 🔁 Repost to support someone doing great work behind the scenes. 🔔 Follow Bhavna Toor for more on conscious leadership.