After 10 years in corporate HR for various organization, I have seen a lot of capable professionals stuck in job search loops. Yes, it is often about positioning. The key is scope and impact:

Start by clearly covering related experience, not just job titles. Make it obvious what kind of environments you’ve operated in. Size matters. Spell it out:
•Number of employees or teams supported
•Number of locations or regions
•Annual revenue or budget scope
•Whether you supported founders, executives, boards, or frontline leaders

This helps recruiters quickly place you in the right “lane.”
Next, get specific about impact. Not responsibilities: Results.
•Dollars saved or costs avoided
•Percentage improvements (retention, time to hire, productivity, engagement)
•Scale of change delivered
•Number of leaders developed, promoted, or stabilized
•Systems built, fixed, or cleaned up

These are the signals recruiters pause on. When they see scale + impact, they slow down. Finally, connect the dots for them. Don’t assume they’ll infer why your experience fits. Position yourself for the level you’re targeting by showing:
•What problems you’ve solved
•At what scale
•With what outcomes

When these three things are clear, resumes get read longer.

If you’re stuck and not sure where your positioning breaks down, drop a question below or message me; I’m happy to look at it through a recruiter’s lens.