StandOut CV
How a “Resume Lies” Survey Introduced a UK Brand to the US Market, Securing 85+ High-DR Backlinks
2022–2023 | Digital PR & Content Marketing | Recruitment & Careers | US & UK
100+
Total Coverage Placements
(85+ linked coverage pieces with an average DR of 67.5).
Tier-1
Global Media Features
Bloomberg, CNBC (x2), Forbes (x2), Entrepreneur (x3), Fortune, and Fool.com.
Viral
Pop Culture Reach
Featured on the global Office Ladies podcast, US morning TV shows, and generated 1,000+ direct referral clicks.
The client situation
Re:signal partnered with UK career advice brand StandOut CV to support their aggressive expansion into the US market. By launching a data-led Digital PR campaign examining how often job seekers lie on their CVs—and calculating the underground cost of buying fake credentials—the campaign secured over 85 top-tier US backlinks and established immediate brand authority across the Atlantic.
The challenge
StandOut CV needed to establish search visibility and editorial backlinks in the highly competitive US market. However, pitching CV/resume advice directly risked being dismissed by journalists as overly commercial.
Our approach
We developed a provocative, data-driven narrative around “CV lies”, timing outreach around the New Year job-seeking surge and tying the pitch into broader economic news stories regarding inflation pressures.
- The Angle & Hook: We focused on job-application dishonesty and degree fraud, tapping into annual “New Year, New Job” media trends and providing a newsjacking hook for inflation updates.
- Campaign Execution: The campaign landed features across national US news, HR industry portals like Monster Jobs, and regional morning broadcasts (including a television segment featuring a body language expert evaluating CV lies).
- Methodology & Data Science: We conducted a comprehensive US consumer survey to uncover job application dishonesty statistics. To elevate the study beyond standard survey metrics, we conducted an underground market investigation, compiling a unique dataset detailing the exact costs of purchasing fake CVs, counterfeit degree certificates, and fraudulent references online.
Our goals
Secure authoritative US backlinks, drive targeted referral traffic, and establish StandOut CV’s authority in the American recruitment space.
The Results
Pitching commenced ahead of the New Year, capturing immediate interest from national business and personal finance desks. The campaign maintained incredible longevity, continuing to feature on US morning talk shows and pop culture outlets four months after launch.
The campaign secured 100+ total media placements, including 85+ high-DR backlinks (average DR 67.5). Major features included Bloomberg, CNBC, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Fortune, Fool.com, and Monster Jobs. It was also highlighted on the global Office Ladies podcast, hosted by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey.
The asset drove over 1,000 referral clicks directly to StandOut CV’s site and laid the search authority foundation for their US content hub. The campaign led the media agenda on job applicant dishonesty, pre-dating similar coverage by major research firms like YouGov.