Stop Sending CVs Into the Void: How to Actually Stand Out for UI/UX Roles

Breaking into a competitive design job market feels impossible when you're one of hundreds of applicants. But the designers who land roles aren't always the most qualified on paper — they're the ones who find a way to be unforgettable.

This question was answered by Tarra van Amerongen, Head of Design at Atlassian, innovation design lecturer at UTS, and board advisor for the Australian Publishers Association — someone who has hired, been hired, and helped others navigate the design industry at every level. The conversation was hosted as part of Never Not Creative's "Asking For A Friend" series.

The Paper Problem: Why Your CV Isn't Enough

When a LinkedIn listing reads "over 100 people have applied," your CV is already fighting an uphill battle. The hard truth is that recruiters simply cannot give every application meaningful attention. If everyone is submitting a portfolio link alongside their CV, you're not standing out — you're blending in.

As Tarra puts it: "Paper is flat and humans are four dimensional." No matter how polished your resume is, it cannot communicate your energy, your thinking, or your personality. That's the gap you need to close.

Think Divergently: Get Creative With How You Apply

The designers who break through aren't beating their heads against the wall applying through the same channels as everyone else. They're finding different angles entirely.

Some approaches that came up in the conversation:

• Redesign their product. Tarra shared how she once redesigned a company's product and sent it directly: "I've just redesigned your business. Here you go." Whether right or wrong, it showed effort, initiative, and genuine interest — and it got attention.
• Send a video instead of a CV. One approach mentioned was sending a link to a YouTube video of yourself talking about design, rather than a traditional application. It's unexpected, personal, and memorable.
• Apply for a different role just to get in the room. Tarra's favourite story: she applied for a project manager role at a creative agency she admired, knowing she was overqualified. They wrote back saying she wasn't really a project manager. Her response? "No, but I'd like to meet you." Six months later, they invited her to become a third partner in the business. She just needed to get in front of them.

The Power of a Referral

One of the most direct paths past the recruiter is a recommendation from someone already inside the company. Tarra described spotting a former colleague at a company she was applying to, reaching out, and being offered a referral. The next day, she was in conversation with the hiring team.

It doesn't require a close friendship — just a genuine connection and the willingness to reach out. A warm introduction from someone in the building carries far more weight than a cold application through a portal.

Your Human Edge Is the Point

It's easy to feel discouraged when the market feels saturated, especially with technology changing so fast. But Tarra offered a reminder worth holding onto: creativity is inherently human. Designers have a corner on something that makes people feel something — and that is not going away.

"There are so many problems to solve and so many shitty experiences out there to fix," she said. "You add so much value to that human experience." The need for thoughtful, human-centred design is only growing. The form it takes may shift, but the value doesn't.

Don't shrink your skills down to a job title. Don't give up because the portal isn't working. Think about how you can show up differently — because the right people just need to meet you.

The job market for UI/UX designers is competitive, but it's not closed. The designers landing roles are the ones willing to be a little bold, a little creative, and a lot more human than a PDF allows. Get in front of people any way you can — and trust that once they meet you, the paper becomes irrelevant.

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