What's Your Story?

I am re-reading Seth godin's excellent book, "All Marketers are Liars" which is all about the way good  marketers tell 'stories' to compel us to spend money.

Seth's title is misleading (which is the point). He isn't saying good marketers are untruthful - he's saying that they clarify the key value of their product into a compelling story that makes us want to buy.

I think this is as true of people as it is of products. Recruiters and HR people are busy. They don't have time to wade through your resume trying to figure out who you are - you have to make it crystal clear. You have to tell your story.

Do you know what your story is? If you get the call for that big interview tomorrow, can you tell the interviewer who you are and what you have to offer ... clearly, quickly, concisely and in a way that makes sense to him/her?

And if you're employed, have you established your story in the minds of people you work with. Does your boss know who you are and how much you have to offer? Do your co-workers? Do your employees?

Telling your story effectively is the way to convince people to pick up the phone and call you for interviews. And once you've got the job, building a consistent, easily understood and impressive story is the way to get promoted or 'head-hunted' away. (If the story's good enough, you won't need another resume.)

So, what's your story?

Comments

[Max Leibman]

I suppose it's not surprising that marketing books might bear on job-hunting. (In fact, one of my best friends works as a career counselor at a major state university in the northeast, and her undergraduate degree is in advertising; she says the ad/marketing background one of her greatest assets in that work.)

I think you're right on about the application of story to marketing oneself, and I will add one more advantage: If you are clear on what your story is--if you know what it, and you, are about--deciding where you need to go next (i.e., to whom you should be pitching your resum...err, story) with your career is much easier.

[Astha]

I think the pertinence of your message extends beyond just branding. Its amazing how few actually know what they're about and where they want to go. Whats even more amazing is how little they're willing to do to find these answers!

[Louise Fletcher]

You guys are both spot on --- I wrote about knowing your story when you write a resume, but the first thing I make my resume clients do is identify exactly where they want to go. If they don't know that, I can't take them on as a client. Once you've done the hard work of identifying what you want to do with your life, you can start to make your way there. But Astha, why is it that so few people are willing to do this work? I have yet to figure this out.

[Astha]

I don't know Louise! A few days back a family friend sent his resume to me, asking me to spruce it up (I'm no expert, but having been in this field, I can help out just a bit). I sent back a mail with some questions. He wrote back saying- that's too much detail, can't you just format it and add some BS. Really bugged me!

Earlier, I used to think its sheer laziness. But off late, it seems to me that it might be a form of 'commitment fear'. Its easy to sit on the couch, look at the other guy and say- I could have done his job twice as well. But its scary to put yourself out there and say this is what I am capable of, and I am going to prove it.