Why did we all decide that sounding like a robot is the best way to present ourselves on resumes and Linkedin?
You see it all the time.
“I focus on aggressive KPIs and complex stakeholder management.”
“Adept at setting priorities, adapting to change and learning on the fly”
Surely if you were to describe yourself in conversation, you’d never use such obtuse language. Sow what’s the gain? Maybe it’s to fool some search algorithm to shunt your profile to the top of the stack. But one look from a human and your profile starts to look pretty generic.
I think I’m as guilty of this as anyone, so how do I (and you) solve it? For starters—stop using other profiles as a template. Focus on the unusual nature of you. The stuff that no one else does (or says). Ditch generic empty statements like “Enjoy working with smart, strategic and fun people.” and tell a story instead.
If you routinely settle for average with how you present yourself publicly, don’t be surprised when you end up with average opportunities. Have a profile worth remarking about, and perhaps remarkable opportunities will find you.