Help Other Professionals, as You Would Want them to Help You

A couple months ago, I repeated a post I put up twice a year, offering to assess/critique CVs and offer what limited advice I can for recent graduates, journalists looking for a career change and PR professionals looking for their next stop.

The posts typically get a couple dozen responses, and I end up looking at 4-5 CVs and speaking with a handful of people over Zoom. This time, maybe due to Covid chaos spurring people’s desire to make a change, I ended up with over 50 CVs and ended up doing about three dozen Zoom sessions. It has taken me this long to “dig out,” but it was unbelievable to meet so many interesting, ambitious, hardworking people from all parts of the globe - and I truly believe this is the sort of interaction LinkedIn was originally envisioned to touch off.

In the course of working with so many people and their resumes, I noticed some recurring themes and issues, and - without offering any of the specific/personal details of those with whom I had contact - share the fixes we came up with in the form of tips. I don’t mean these to seem to glib, but I’m mindful of word limits on LI.

1. Be memorable: Not so sound like an American Idol judge, but if you look and sound like everyone else, you’re forgettable. Offer a tantalizing bit - an unusual job, location, hobby or something that a tired and harried HR person will remember.
2. Be an “achiever,” not a “doer”: Focus on the results and how they met or exceeded expectations. Be specific.
3. Go short, not long: Too many CVs are too long. You may have 20 years of experience, but you need to drop breadcrumbs, not offer the whole loaf. Nobody will read a 5-page CV at first go.?Tantalize, tease, leave the reader wanting more. Each entry should be one or two lines, not a book.
4. Be a storyteller, not a list-maker: Start a CV in your head. It’s your narrative. What are the skills you have that few others do??What "wins" are you proudest of? What was your favorite job and why?
5. Make every line count: As you decide what to include/exclude from your CV, use this test: Did this previous job I mention let me display a single, great skill and result? Can I craft a 60-seconds-or-less anecdote about it in which I am the self-effacing hero who triumphed and learned something, who overcame adversity to succeed so that I and the company came out better? If not, toss it.?
6. Banish the mundane and anodyne: Unless your job centers around MS Word or Excel, nobody cares in 2022. If you are a marketer who knows how to code, that’s kind of interesting. Think about the “zebras” in your career, not the plain horses.
7. Be confident, stay confident: Whether because of Covid, or a layoff, or the shitty state of your industry, I found many people full of self-doubt and stressed. Whether you’re just starting out or are changing careers, believe in yourself. Talk to others who know you and can encourage you. If you have your head down when you apply and interview, it seeps into your presentation and narrative. It’s a huge handicap. You need to tell yourself: “I am great, whether or not I get the interview or the callback. If I don’t get the job, I keep plugging. I will get something because I’m good, and I only need one job.”
8. Be passionate, stay passionate: Whether you’re in year 1 of your career or year 25, interviewers LOVE passion. You simply can’t fake it, and it’s infectious. You can see interviewers getting jazzed as you get jazzed by your tale. Practice being energetic and authentic. That doesn’t mean you’re acting or faking. It is just a reminder to “bring it” every time.
9. The best jobs are usually not on Linkedin: Most people I know with great jobs got them because they “know a guy” (or a “gal.”).LinkedIn sells a dream for $29.99 a month or more. They want you to watch generic videos about leveling up your skills. It’s a business. Yes, the jobs on LI are real, but when 1,000 people apply, you don’t know if an AI bot is scanning your profile or CV, you have a hard time standing out, etc. It’s tough and cold. But just like most things in our lives, we are social animals, and we connect with people, and those people - who know us personally and/or professionally - help us because that’s the way networks are supposed to work.
10. The best people are not always on LinkedIn: LI has become a habitat for “fake humble” braggarts and marketers or salespeople looking for cold leads. Like every social media platform, posters accentuate the positive, want you to say “attagirl” or “attaboy” and marvel over their achievements. Ask them for help or advice, though, and many will ghost you. They are not here for you. Don’t get angry or bitter if they won’t share the secret of their success or even acknowledge you. You can’t pick your mentors or spirit guides. They pick you. So, move on, f*** the doubters and jerks and do keep asking people for help or ideas.
11. Nobody on LinkedIn owes you anything: You wouldn’t walk up to a CEO on the street and say, “hey, you never met me, and I don’t know you, but give me a job because I’m good and I need money.” Doing so would be ballsy is what I’d think if someone came up to me and asked me that, it’s memorable, but not everyone thinks like that, and it’s also not how the world generally works. And yet, I regularly receive, “give me a job” or “tell your company to give me a job” notes from people all over the world. When I have an opening, I will certainly consider those who ask. But I look at skills, memorable achievements, great narratives that suggest the person knows how to communicate and would be a good fit for communications roles I have open. Behave yourself, educate yourself and learn about the company before you reach out, look at job openings you think are a good fit and ask me about them. Don’t ask me to endorse you if we haven’t worked together, but do ask me if I can refer you to the hiring manager or HR, adding, “if I can convince you I’m a good fit.”
12. Be polite, respectful and pay it forward: Even when someone ghosts you or is rude to you, maintain the high ground. Being pushy, angry or bitter says a lot about why you probably aren't appealing to hiring managers or HR. And when someone does help you, show some respect and say thanks. But the best thanks I’ve ever gotten is when someone tells me, “I’m going to remember this, and when someone comes to me for help, I’m going to help them.” Because that’s what LinkedIn used to be, and that’s what networking is all about.