Career: Ever been called unconventional?
I have a number of people I help as they consider a next step in their career, and have found I am giving different flavors in my coaching. Many people have concrete paths, so my discussions with them give more straight-forward advice. They majored in “marketing” and plan to go into marketing, for example. This post is for those unconventional types who are thinking about their career path, and who are stumped in how to position themselves for their next big thing. Here are some thoughts on how to talk about your “outside-the-box” talents.
Own it and name it. This one can be tricky as you don’t want to resort to cliches, but still want to explain what’s special about you in a way that connects. I think the best way to approach it is to start by keeping a notebook of examples and stories which reflect your distinctions and accomplishments. Ask friends and colleagues to share their own observations and add them to your log. I went through my own “data collection to catalogue my weirdness” (my code name for my exploration) and landed on some key takeaways.
I create community and engagement by bringing positive energy (and humor) to my work.
I am a curious person who wants to learn.
I look at the world differently and bring new ideas to the table.
Yes I am also a good product owner, fiscal officer, agile coach, leader, and presenter, but those three attributes are what set me apart. It’s the “how” of my work style. And it makes people think of me as different, standout, wonderful, engaging, creative, quirky— you name it. How I got to these 3 was by creating a spreadsheet of my stories and examples and then trying to look at the essential elements of the examples. (I boxed in my out-of-the-box qualities!) This taxonomy also helped me think about how to frame and name it. I can tell you examples of what I accomplished in each category, and the results and metrics on my methods. This is also helpful in conveying why these talents matter in an ever changing world where the word innovation is on everyone’s agenda, but the culture is more focused on efficiency and risk mitigation. Unconventional employees are people who can lead a team through a transformation, solve a deal breaker client problem (and thus find a new product category) and stave off a talent exodus because people WANT to stay and work with them. Explore what’s unique to you, and spend time reflecting on it and workshopping how you describe those qualities.
Your resume and social media can and should reflect who you are. So you know what makes you different (and awesome) from the average Josephine. It’s time to package it and share it. Yes there are algorithms parsing through thousands of resumes to consider in designing your resume, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go for it. Try looking at resume templates (so many places to look) to get ideas on how to best present yourself. That said, I think it’s important to have the following elements. Keep in mind your social media profile should also have the same/similar components.
Executive summary: 40 words or less, help people understand your talents and accomplishments. This is a good place to present your unconventional headlines.
Key words: okay, it’s probably more like “skills” or something, but this one’s for the algorithm. It’s where you can put in the things that make you qualified for the job you’re going for.
Role/company/dates: And then a brief line on why you were hired. What problem were you hired to solve? What hill were you to climb? What challenge to overcome? Then list very succinctly the major projects or wins with metrics. Shoot for 2 or 3. Don’t go overboard.
Education/Awards/Other activities or hobbies. I’m of the camp that this should be just the facts, and I don’t put in outside interests, but hey, if that’s a big part of you then go for it.
I write the above somewhat sheepishly, because those are all the elements of a resume and seem pretty obvious. The piece I want to highlight is that you draw from your unconventional archive where it makes sense. For example, I don’t just say, “authored keynote address for an executive.” Instead I say, “Learned and onboarded new presentation technology to author and create standout keynote on annual strategy for executive, which resulted in increased engagement and adoption by audience.” (All true, I totally rocked that Prezi!).
Publish thought pieces that dig into how you think about the world. Best way to describe to people how you think about the world is to put yourself out there. And this has never been easier. So whether it’s a YouTube tutorial, a blog entry, Linkedin posts, or whatever, you should think about ways to share your out-of-the-box thought process with the world. I personally started this blog series both to challenge myself with writing every week, and also to have an outlet to share things I’m curious about. You don’t have to commit to a big project. Post one thing, or guest-blog on someone’s site. You get the picture. One way I also have tried to convey my own unique point of view was to provide a “leave behind” piece as a companion to my resume. In it I recap my executive summary, and then have an infographic of my work experience in a timeline. I include some graphics on results I’ve accomplished. Then I have a Q&A section where I ask myself questions which I think speak to the role I’m looking for, with a narrative response which blends my accomplishments and some unconventional nuggets. I like that this is the last word, and it’s a little different.
Listen up you square pegs in a round world, no point in expending energy in fitting in. It’s time to think about and celebrate your unique, diverse talents and help people recognize them and how your unconventional self can help an organization better weather disruption and other challenges. You don’t need to resort to bright pink paper or gimmicks to get people’s attention. Rather, a self awareness of how your methods and talents brings results and transformation should be owned and highlighted throughout your pieces. It’s not enough to have a line in your resume. Incorporate it throughout your marketing of you in social media and even in thought pieces.
