In the Christmas movie Elf, Buddy is delighted by his discovery of the “World’s Greatest Cup of Coffee”—so much so that he takes his date to have a taste. But after a sip, she’s unimpressed, calling it what it is: “a crappy cup of coffee.”
It’s easy to say you’re the best—because no one really questions it.
Companies say things like:
- “We deliver world-class service to our customers.”
- “We’re industry leaders in innovation.”
- “Our people are our greatest asset.”
And LinkedIn profiles & resumes? Not much better. Most people play it safe and copy what everyone else is saying—lots of bells and whistles, but nothing that truly sets you apart.
- “I’m a results-driven professional.”
- “I have a proven track record of success.”
- “I’m a strategic thinker with strong problem-solving skills.” (Want that one on a coffee mug?)
So, in a world that promotes “personal branding,” how do your resume, LinkedIn profile—and eventually your interview—actually stand out?
Since this newsletter isn’t called Career Guide Best Practices but Career Guide Edge, let’s talk about how to be different and memorable.
Because while it’s hard to prove you’re the best at something, you can absolutely show how you’re different, unique, or specialized. And here’s a bonus: specialists often earn more than generalists. (Like Panama Finca Sophia Geisha coffee, which sold for $4,500 per pound.)
Let’s take a look at some roles:
Software Engineer Average Resume Bullet (seen everywhere):
💤 Developed and maintained web applications using JavaScript and React.
Standout Bullet with Specialization/Impact:
⚡️ Built a modular React framework that reduced development time for new product features by 40%, enabling faster A/B testing and shortening time-to-market for the growth team.
Data Engineer Average Resume Bullet (seen everywhere):
💤 Designed and maintained ETL pipelines for data processing and reporting.
Standout Bullet with Vision/Impact:
⚡️ Created an event-driven data pipeline using Apache Kafka and Spark that delivered near real-time analytics for customer behavior, directly increasing personalization efforts and boosting retention by 12%.
Corporate Recruiter Average Resume Bullet (seen everywhere):
💤 Sourced and hired technical talent across multiple roles and departments.
Standout Bullet with Specialization/Uniqueness:
⚡️ Developed a candidate-market mapping strategy for DevOps hiring in underrepresented regions, filling 5 senior-level roles within 60 days for a Series B startup that had struggled to hire for over 9 months.
The “You” No One Can Copy
When your resume or LinkedIn profile sounds like everyone else’s, hiring managers will treat you like everyone else.
But when you highlight your unique edge, your specialized contributions, and the impact only you could make—you stop competing and start leading.
In a world full of sameness, your difference is your advantage. I’ll drink (a hot cup of coffee) to that. ☕️
