Want Better Job Search Results? Mirror Your Audience

Orignal photos from istockphoto.com. Edited to reflect in Photoshop.

I bring a brand marketer’s lens to every client’s career moves, where the first rule is always the same: focus on your audience. The most effective messages don’t start with what you want to say. They begin with what your audience needs to hear.

That same principle applies to a job search. When you write your resume, update LinkedIn, or reach out to a new contact, you’re doing more than sharing facts - you’re shaping a message. And the message that lands is the one that reflects your audience’s priorities, language, and needs.

 

Three Ways to Hold Up the Right Mirror

Reflect the problem the role is meant to solve.

Every role exists to solve a problem. Whether improving workflow, driving revenue, or fixing a broken process, your audience is looking for someone who can help. When you reflect on that need in your resume or elevator pitch, you stop sounding generic and start sounding essential.

Focus on the decision-maker’s viewpoint.

Recruiters and hiring managers usually have specific goals for new hires. A hiring manager may be looking for someone who can bring stability to a team or accelerate processes. A recruiter will likely prefer candidates who are easy to present and obviously qualified. Reflecting on those goals makes your message more compelling and relevant.

Use their language to create recognition.

Use familiar language to connect. Study job posts and company sites, then echo key phrases in your resume and messages. Focus on real accomplishments, not keyword stuffing. You become a clear fit when your results match the priorities in their language.

Your messaging will resonate more effectively when you stop writing about your experience, like a biography, and start reflecting on what matters to your audience, including recruiters, hiring managers, and connections. Mirroring your audiences will draw a clear line between your expertise and their needs.

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Hillary Hufford-Tucker is the founder of Relevated Brands. Since 2019, she’s helped professionals grow visibility and relevance through distinctive resumes, LinkedIn profile optimization, and individualized personal brand plans. Hillary holds certifications in career coaching, transitions, digital strategy, and reinvention, along with an MA in strategic communications and a Level Two Award in Wine from WSET. Splitting time between Illinois and California, she’s a cyclist, author, traveler, and Syrah enthusiast, sometimes all at once.