Executive search groups are looking for new sales reps every day, which might lead you to believe that you have a pretty good chance of being discovered. After all, if you just bide your time, they’ll eventually find you, right? Well, not exactly.

The problem is that there are so many candidates that it can be hard to get sales head hunters’ attention. Executive search groups know that they can have the pick of the litter. In order to get their attention, you really have to stand out amongst the myriad other candidates. Sure, you’ve got great credentials, years of relevant experience, and a winning personality, but these don’t often translate well through cover letters, resumes, or online applications. Follow these steps to help you stand out, and get the executive search group’s attention.

1. Improve Your LinkedIn Profile.

In your profile, you have to include the right keywords, or else the executive search groups won’t find you. You should also tell your story, which will help illustrate the kind of individual that you are. Your picture also has to be high quality, and professional. You’ll be thankful that you devoted more time and attention to your LinkedIn profile.

2. Brand and Simplify Your Resume.

Your resume has got to cover the facts—your address, contact info, and past experiences—but it should also clue them in to how you do things differently, what separates you from the pack. What do you consistently do well that’s of value to the employer? You can turn this into a personal brand statement. While editing your resume, you also have to make it as clear and simple as possible to mitigate the likelihood of conversion mistakes. Also consider using a visual resume, with pie charts or graphs to illustrate your experience, rather than a text-based resume, to help make your application stand out to the executive search group’s tired eyes. However, be careful not to get too creative. Resumes with cutesy fonts, clip art, or a design that is too abstract to convey the information clearly will all end up in the trash, or the trash folder.

3. Nail the Interview.

During the interview, tell stories about yourself, rather than simply giving answers. These are more illustrative, and also more engaging. As with your LinkedIn profile, stories will help executive search groups get a better feel for you, and also make you more memorable. Convey through storytelling that you’re hard working, a creative problem solver, a team player, and invested in your chosen field.

Remember: improve the SEO of your LinkedIn, simplify and brand your resume, and tell stories about yourself. If you act on these tips, an executive search group will surely find you in no time. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments.