The Most Common Candidate Mistake

One of the biggest mistakes that candidates can make is not knowing themselves or their story.

This is especially true in any GTM role. If you don’t know yourself, you can’t sell yourself. And if you can’t sell yourself, you can’t sell a product or an idea.

Why Self-Awareness Matters in GTM Roles

Selling yourself and your story is more than just knowing it internally.

You need to be able to portray that to others professionally, and not just verbally.

From Knowing Your Story to Selling It

LinkedIn is often where this plays out most visibly.

If you’re in a growth role today, people don’t need to see that you were a lifeguard in high school or that you interned in private equity for two months during college.

That’s not part of your GTM narrative.

If you’re in a growth role and want to stay there, align your experience to that story.

Keep what reinforces your credibility and cut the rest.

Less Is More. Especially Early in Your Career

After talking to hundreds of founders who are hiring, one thing is clear: people now prioritize LinkedIn over resumes as their first step in evaluating candidates.

If your profile is cluttered with too much irrelevant detail, it’s far more likely to get passed on.

Early in your career, in particular, it’s tempting to over-explain. But too much information can actually hurt your positioning.

You don’t need to list every short-term role, certification, or college club. Focus on what adds real credibility

• A strong GPA

• Key achievements

• Top awards or honors

• Experiences that directly support your career direction

The Talentpluto Value Add

If your LinkedIn is clean, focused, and tells a clear story, you’re already ahead of most candidates. Now put that positioning to work.

At talentpluto, we connect top GTM talent with early-stage startups that are actively hiring. Create a profile once, and start getting matched to roles that align with your experience and goals.

You’ve done the hard part by crafting your story, now let talentpluto help you get it in front of the right founders.

Join now at talentpluto.com