Compete on role impact + ways of working + growth mechanics—then prove it with specifics and tradeoffs.

Perks and values are easy to copy, so they rarely differentiate. To stop competing on “free snacks” and “great culture,” shift to what’s hard to replicate: the problems you solve, the level of ownership, decision speed, standards, learning loops, and career acceleration mechanisms. Make it role-specific: what will this person own, learn, and achieve here that’s meaningfully different? Add proof (projects, metrics, artifacts, manager behaviors) and tradeoffs (pace, ambiguity, accountability) to increase trust. That’s how you become choosable: by making the work and growth clearly better for the right people—not by sounding nicer.