You’re more than the sum of the lines on your CV. Does anyone you work with know it?
They know it, in the sense that we all know our colleagues and contacts have lived all their own. But there’s a big difference between “knowing” something like this in the abstract and truly understanding it.
Not to mention allowing ourselves to be influenced by it.
Let’s face it: In many lines of work, being feared (or at least respected) really is better than being liked. It’s just that it’s possible to have both — and, increasingly, those who can’t walk that line find themselves penalized as a result.
So, if you’re ready to show your softer side to the people you work with, make deals with, and compete with, you may need to make a few changes. Here’s what you can do right now to get started.
1. Lead With Your Nonprofessional “Titles”
You might not love the “Husband — dog dad — Broncos fan” thing. But a lot of people you work with or will — people you want to impress and ingratiate yourself with — do find it endearing.
Unfortunately, that’s more important than anything you think about it.
Look at it this way. If someone finds their way to your LinkedIn profile or Twitter handle via internal or external (Google) search, they probably have an idea of what you do already. So show them what else they can expect from you while you have their attention.
2. Highlight Your Charitable Activities in Your CV and Directory Content
Being a philanthropist does not automatically make you a good person. But people make assumptions. The charitable work you do when you’re not in the office does reflect well on you, and you’d be remiss not to highlight it in your CV, LinkedIn profile, business directory listings, and anywhere else that makes sense.
The Crunchbase profile for Steve Streit, founder, and lead partner of SWS Venture Capital, shows what this looks like IRL. You don’t have to shout from the rooftops that you Do Charitable Things. You just need to mention that, yes, I give back and it’s something I care about.
Related Resource: Creating A Winning Resume in 5 Easy Steps
3. Publish Original Content That Ties Current Events and Issues to Your Work
Without getting overtly political — unless that’s part of your professional persona or it’s impossible to honor your core values without doing so — find ways to tie issues of the day to your work in the original content you publish on your blog, LinkedIn, and other professional branding channels. In addition to humanizing you, this sort of tie is a hook for visitors and will likely help your audience grow over time.
4. Volunteer at Least Three Times Per Month
Back to philanthropy for a moment. You should volunteer a few hours of your time each month, whether in a semi-professional setting (like as part of an office teambuilding effort) or on your own. Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it helps you stand out from the usual suspects in your industry who don’t have time for it.
Related Resources: Why Should You Hire a Resume Builder
You’re More Than the Sum of Your Professional Achievements
It bears repeating: You’re more than the sum of your professional achievements. You’re a well-rounded person with a lot more to show than your latest business “win.”
You can’t expect the people you work with to know or care about this “just because,” though. So it’s in your best interest professionally, and maybe personally too, to give them every reason to.
These strategies can help. And there’s probably more you can do if you’re being honest with yourself. So let’s dispense with the excuses and get started. You’ve got people to impress.
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