Guest: Marty Gilbert
WHY.os: Better Way – Make Sense – Mastery

Marty Gilbert is the founder and CEO of North Shore Executive Networking Group (NSENG), the largest job search organization in the U.S. With over 12,000 members and one person landing a new job every day, Marty has helped more than 3,000 professionals find their next role. He brings a fresh, no-nonsense approach to job hunting, using his background in marketing and global business to teach people how to stand out and get hired.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why your job search is a marketing effort—and how to treat yourself like the product
• How to reach decision-makers and break through hiring systems that keep most people out
• The “What the Hell” approach: bold moves that get results in today’s job market

Listen now to hear real, practical advice you can use right away.

Connect with Marty!

http://www.nsenginc.com

LinkedIn

Watch the episode here

00:35 – Discovering the WHY of a Better Way

02:42 – Marty’s Early Years & Curiosity

06:41 – Solo Travel Across Europe

11:15 – Breaking into Advertising in Japan

17:00 – Cultural Immersion and Lessons from Asia

21:53 – Scaling Motorola’s Global Growth

25:43 – Building a Life and Career in Hong Kong

29:01 – Pivoting into Sports Data & Leadership

31:28 – Founding NSENG and the “What the Hell” Job Search Approach

39:51 – Marty’s Coaching Process for Job Seekers

Listen to the podcast here

Job Searching is a Marketing Game: Marty Gilbert’s Bold Advice for Standing Out and Getting Hired

Let’s be real—job hunting can feel like throwing your résumé into the void while hoping someone, somewhere, hits reply. But what if it didn’t have to be that way? What if your job search worked more like a well-run marketing campaign—with clarity, purpose, and actual results? That’s exactly what Marty Gilbert, founder and CEO of North Shore Executive Networking Group (NSENG), teaches. And he knows a thing or two about success: his group has helped over 3,000 professionals land jobs, with one member getting hired every single day.

In his conversation with Dr. Gary Sanchez on the Beyond Your WHY podcast, Marty drops insight after insight, all rooted in his decades of global experience and his no-fluff, marketing-minded approach to career growth. Whether you’re unemployed, underwhelmed at your current job, or simply curious about how to get ahead in today’s crowded job market, this episode hits home.

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You Are the Product—Now Start Marketing Like It

The biggest mindset shift Marty offers is this: stop thinking of your job search as a résumé game and start treating it like a full-blown marketing effort. “This isn’t HR,” he says. “This is marketing. You are now the product.” That means crafting a clear value proposition, writing a strong personal brand statement, and targeting your audience like you’re selling the next iPhone. He encourages job seekers to position, package, and promote their value with the same thoughtfulness and intensity you’d put into launching a new product. Think: high visibility, strong messaging, and no more generic applications.

The problem, Marty points out, is that most people (even marketers!) don’t like talking about themselves. So he helps his clients dig into their own stories, identify key achievements, and turn those into clear, confident narratives. “One of the first things I do is have people write down their seven most important accomplishments. We break them into challenge, action, and result.” It’s not about fluffing up your résumé—it’s about remembering your worth and making it loud enough to get noticed.

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The Hidden Job Market Is Real—And It’s Where the Gold Is

If you’re only applying to jobs you see online, Marty has a gentle truth bomb for you: you’re missing out on the real opportunities. The hidden job market—aka jobs that aren’t posted publicly—is where he says most successful hires are happening. “Many companies never post their openings. They rely on internal referrals. So if you’re not actively connecting with decision-makers, you’re getting left behind.”

This is where his signature “What the Hell” approach comes in. Marty teaches people how to go around broken systems (like applicant tracking software that filters out great candidates) and get their materials in front of real humans. That might mean cold emailing a hiring manager, calling someone after being ghosted, or following up even after receiving a rejection. “Some of the best candidates get rejected by software,” he says. “But that doesn’t mean the game is over.”

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Confidence is Built, Not Found (And Interviews Shouldn’t Suck)

Let’s talk interviews. According to Marty, most people walk into interviews nervous, overly polished, or disconnected from their own story. He flips that on its head with a more human, conversational approach. “An interview should feel like what you and I are doing right now,” he tells Gary. “It should be a conversation. That’s where confidence comes from.”

To help people get there, Marty does mock interviews over Zoom and plays them back. Yes, it’s awkward. But it’s also wildly effective. “I show them how many filler words they’re using—’like,’ ‘um,’ ‘you know’—and we work on pausing instead. A pause is powerful. It makes people lean in.” Marty’s practical, tactical style helps people not only get the interview, but nail it—and most importantly, feel good doing it.

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Marty Gilbert isn’t your typical career coach. He doesn’t come from HR, doesn’t speak in buzzwords, and doesn’t pretend the job market isn’t tough. But that’s what makes his advice land. He treats the job search like what it actually is: a high-stakes, high-opportunity marketing challenge—and he gives people the tools to win. His “What the Hell” method, focus on value over fluff, and belief in direct connection have helped thousands of people take control of their career path.

If you’re in the thick of a job search, thinking about making a move, or just tired of being overlooked, this episode is worth your time. You’ll walk away with a new mindset, a few bold moves to try, and maybe—finally—a clear way forward.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of Beyond Your WHY with Marty Gilbert to get the full conversation and put these strategies to work today.