You Say You Want to Stand Out, But Are You Playing It Safe?

Mar 02, 2025 12:41 am

Every UX designer says they want to stand out.


But when I look at their resumes, portfolios, and LinkedIn profiles?


They all look the same.


Generic resume templates.

Cookie-cutter portfolio case studies.

LinkedIn summaries that say “Passionate about UX and user-centered design.” (Like 99% of other designers.)


Here’s the contradiction:


👉 You say you want to be different.

👉 But you’re doing exactly what everyone else is doing.


Why?


Because standing out feels risky.


You’re afraid to inject personality into your LinkedIn summary.

You worry a hiring manager won’t like your bold case study titles.

You default to “playing it safe” instead of making an impression.


And that’s exactly why you’re blending in.


Here’s the truth:


💡 Hiring managers don’t remember “safe” candidates.

💡 Portfolios that follow the same structure as everyone else’s don’t get callbacks.

💡 The designers who get noticed? They’re the ones who aren’t afraid to show personality, perspective, and a clear personal brand.


Here’s how to actually stand out:


1️⃣ Make your LinkedIn unforgettable.


  • Use a banner that reflects your personality.
  • Write a summary that tells your story—not a corporate-sounding bio.


2️⃣ Inject boldness into your portfolio.


  • Ditch boring case study titles like “Redesigning the Checkout Flow.”
  • Instead: “How I Improved Checkout Conversions by 28%.” (See the difference?)


3️⃣ Own your perspective.


  • Post your UX thoughts on LinkedIn.
  • Share your learnings, failures, and unique take on design.


Being “safe” won’t get you hired.

Being memorable will.


If you need help making your portfolio stand out, reply with “different” and I’ll send you my framework for creating a personal brand that gets noticed.

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