Does Your LinkedIn Profile Convey Desperation?

Does Your Resume and Profile Cry Desperation?

I see many resumes and especially on-line profiles crying out in desperation for someone to help. These people need a job and it just isn’t happening, but the problem is they are more interested in someone helping them versus their helping themselves. If you want someone to help; you must give them something so they can help!

Think of the movie, “Jerry Maguire”, with Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding, Jr. The part where the Cruise character says to the Gooding character, “You want me to help you, then help me help you!” The Gooding character wants a new football contract but is so caught up in himself, he doesn’t bring anything to the table for the Cruise character to use as justification for the new contract.

The people you reach out to must be able to connect the dots between you and the opportunities they see. Simply saying you need a job only tells a story of desperation. Telling your connections the skills you have to offer and how you have applied those skills gives your connections the information they need to work with on your behalf.

What Did You Do in the War Daddy?

In 1966 a movie came out titled “What Did You Do in the War Daddy?”, it was a comedy with James Coburn.

The title makes me think back to my time in the Air Force. The Air Force how exciting! When my kids would ask me about what I did they would have these visions of my piloting an airplane, flying high over enemy territory (I was in during Vietnam), being in a dogfight, etc. All exciting visuals from what they have seen on TV and with my younger kids what they see in video games. Was it that exciting for me? Nope, but my answer has always been I flew a desk. My answer was in jest, but the simple statement “I flew” would resonate and fortunately they didn’t picture a flying desk.

Today I reflect on the movie title much differently; I do it relative to what people put in their resumes and profiles and when I read I’m looking for the answer to the question: What did you do in your previous life? If the resume or profile cannot quickly tell me; I lose interest and move to the next always looking for the resume or profile which answers this question.

My question to you is: What Did You Do in the War or, in this case, Your Previous Life?

Is Your Resume or Profile Desperate or Is it Telling Your Story?

Recruiters and hiring managers want to read and then ideally hear what you have accomplished! They don’t want to simply read about your skills, they want to know how you put those skills to work. They want to know how those skills benefited you and the companies where you worked.

My story: I enjoy researching and analyzing information. On one engagement the client had a vendor support agreement for their computer equipment. One day I decided to review the charges and found they were being over charged hundreds of dollars each month. Additionally I was able to go back and challenge charges over the life of the agreement recovering over 12% of their total billings.

When you can relate your skills to a story of how you used those skills it drives home the point and the value. I’ve referred in other posts to the old adage facts tell and stories sell. You can tell your resume and profile readers all day about your skills but until you demonstrate how you use those skills; the message does not stick and you want stickiness.

Apply the KFC Approach to Your Resume and Profile

Nicholas Boothman in his book, “How to Connect in Business in 90 Seconds or Less”, he presents the KFC concept.

1. K= Know what you want;
2. F = Find out what you are getting; and
3. C = Change what you are doing until you get what you want!

This is a very simple concept but one few people use, especially when it comes to their career.

Your Stories Will Set You Apart from Your Competition

In light of what Boothman says with the KFC approach, look at your career. Can you pass his test and answer each of those statements? If not, it is time to reassess your situation. If you have answers you can put the KFC approach to use in your career and change what you are doing so you will get what you want!

First know what you want for the next phase in your career and the relevant skills necessary to succeed. Identify how your skills match and write a story for each skill.

Do you want to make a difference in how your resume or on-line profile is received? Tell stories describing how you have put your skills, your education, your intuition or your experience to work and made a difference. It will matter!

Don’t just tell what you can do, show what you have done!

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My name is Tom Staskiewicz and my goal is to help everyone do a little better, get a little further and reach the success they are destined to achieve! Whatever I can do to help you or anyone to move forward in reaching your goals; I’m all for it. Connect with me on LinkedIn, Like me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.

You can also check out our career site at To Your Career Success and sign up for our newsletter of career tips and ideas for job seekers, small and medium business owners, self-employed individuals, contractors, consultants or whatever; anyone wanting to move their career forward!

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