I creative talent for a large, independent marketing and advertising agency. I see a lot of resumes every day. These observations may serve you well in your next search, no matter what the field.

Tell your story

Many, many people do pretty much exactly what you do. The companies and the dates may vary, but on paper, your professional existence is virtually identical to thousands of others. What’s going to make you interesting enough to get the call? Your story. YOUR story. No two candidates have the same story. Yours is 100 percent unique-and that makes you exponentially more interesting. Start your document with a short paragraph about who you are and how you think. Make sure your personality and your philosophy come through. Be brave. If your story turns someone off, then the opportunity probably isn’t a good fit. That’s good to know early on. Your story is particularly effective if your previous experience is limited, irrelevant or at firms with low brand awareness or cache.

Be authentic

You’ll never reach your potential if you’re not true to who you are. Before you hunt, take some time to think about what you really want to do every day vs. what you think you’re qualified to do every day. Think about school for a minute. Remember how you got better grades in your favorite classes? Likewise, when you’re passionate about what you do for money, you’ll be better at it than those around you. Satisfaction, recognition and financial rewards will follow. Don’t take a job just because it’s offered, or because it pays a little more than your last gig. Take it because it intrigues you. Or scares you a little. You can’t go wrong with this one. It’ll keep you from trapping yourself in a career that’s not you, just because you think you’re making too much coin to change course.

Talk it through

People love to give free advice. And people genuinely feel good about helping others find the right job. Reach out to people you respect and people who interest you personally or professionally. Take them to lunch, or buy them a cup of coffee. Talk to them about what you think you want to do next, and let them play back what they’re hearing. They’ll either validate what you already know, or they’ll open you up to something brand new. These folks will inspire you, and they’ll give you the confidence you need to take a chance. Make an opportunity to return the favor. Suddenly you’ve created an amazing professional network that will open many interesting doors now and in the future.

There you go. Three simple guideposts. No magic pill. No rocket science. Just common sense. Figure out how these ideas will work best for you and how they’ll get you closer to a gig that fits.