Every person on earth is unique. You have talents and skills that lead you to do things in a way that no else can replicate.Embrace who you are. Stop being plain vanilla.
So many of the people I work with or connect with at workshops make it their goal to simply blend in. Why?
Blending in will not get you hired or change your career situation. It will not help you soar, be satisfied, or earn the paycheck you desire. No risk means no reward.
Why are you choosing the safe route? What is holding you back? Is it something you don’t know? Is it support? Are you more concerned with the risk or the reward?
If you are creating a resume, bio, LinkedIn profile or webpage it can feel risky to be anything but plain vanilla. Honestly, sharing my unique value felt uncomfortable to me for a very long time. After all, telling your story puts you out there in the world. It opens you to judgment and rejection. Yes, it makes you vulnerable.
What will people say or think? Questions will pop up. Here are some that popped up for me:
- What if they think I am bragging?
- What if no one hires me?
- Will I be among the long-term unemployed?
- What if I can’t find a job except for flipping burgers?
- What will happen to my family? My home? My pride? My value?
Yes, telling your story is scary. But . . . telling your story (and being vulnerable) ALSO created powerful connections. It helps you share and realize your unique value.
So, what is your story? How do you share your unique value?
Are you like my client whose “special sauce” is finding substantial ways to reduce expenses while still building a more reliable fleet of trucks? When he was finally ready to share how his unique experiences shaped his integrity, work ethic and budgeting prowess, he was no longer just another candidate, he was the person the hiring managers wanted to interview.
Yes, sharing information has risks. Yes, it means being vulnerable. Yes, it can lead to great reward — personally and professionally.
Still on the fence about personal branding and sharing who you are? Not sure about branding your resume, bio and online profiles? Firm that you want to remain in your comfort zone, continuing to be plain vanilla, allowing you and your resume to blend into the pile of 80-100 resumes all seeking the position you desire?
Do me a favor — take these three actions, then decide. Deal?
- Ponder this quote by Brené Brown, author of Daring Greatly:
“Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”
- Watch this Ted Talk by Brené Brown: The power of vulnerability
- Make a list of 3 things:
- The two worst things that could happen if you stopped being plain vanilla.
- The one good thing that could happen if you shared your story and your unique value with a potential employer or recruiter.
If you are ready to stop being plain vanilla, let’s talk. If you need help or support contact me. Or if you’re ready to brand your resume get started now.
This is such good advice for job seeking but also for life! I had a friend who was seeking a job in corporate and was advised to take off his resume that he had a pilot license Various reasons were given such as relevance, bragging, etc. Right now he has a great job because the CFO loves planes and wanted to talk to him BECAUSE of that. They connected over their unique love of flying and that gave him an edge…and a great job.
Bonnie,
The story of your friend is not rare. People hire people that have what it takes to do the job and people they want to work with.
Sounds like your friend loved his brand which included being a pilot, by sharing who he was he gained ‘an edge’. We all have a unique edge.
Those willing to share that edge in a professional way always create leverage. That leverage reduces stress and helps land a great job.
Thanks for sharing this great story.
I see this same syndrome in a lot of business marketing, too. People try so hard to appeal to everyone that they appear bland and, well, vanilla. I think you summed up the fear perfectly, “it can feel risky to be anything but plain vanilla.” But like Bonnie mentioned in her comment, it’s those special experiences, quirks and skills that you have that makes you interesting and makes others want to connect with you. I’ll bet that your 360 degree branding process does miracles to help people understand what make them stand out.
Thanks – Lori – you are dead on, when clients complete our 360 degree branding process they do find miracles and magical ways to help them stand out and better share their unique brand with the world.
This is well-said, Cindy. Thanks for your encouragement!
Frances glad you found encouragement form the post.