Authority Communication Services
Have a speaking engagement – short talk? presentation? even a job interview? Starting out is always an opportunity to immediately draw your audience in.
Not many do it well. Even TEDx speakers.
This one does it well. Notice the first 40 seconds. She starts with a question. She identifies with her audience. She gives specific relateable examples. She sets up the central question. Great job.
👉 “Uneasy” “irritable” “restless” “tired” – if you feel like this at work, this may be for you. Especially if you’ve been ‘in the trenches’ for 25 or 30 years now. In this post series, I’m detailing the way out.
Two weeks back I wrote a piece detailing Step #1 of what you need to do to make the road ahead clearer (even exciting!)
➤ Step #1 is “Take Inventory” – WHAT skills, expertise, knowledge or wisdom do you have and WHO could it be valuable to?
In my post last week I expanded on that, showing how important it is to think ‘outside the box’ – your options may be far more varied and greater than you imagined.
I’m going to expand on it again, here. I’m making a critical point.
Last week I used the example of a Data Engineer. He’s Chief Data Officer within a large telecom. His problem? He doesn’t have time to think clearly about or articulate how – with his 30 years’ experience – he could be of value OUTSIDE of a massive corporation.
Here’s today’s lesson:
➤ Make clear how your skills and experience translate into benefits to a future company / organisation.
I was once interviewing someone for a GM position. The candidate was in his early 50’s. My first question was: “So, tell me how you think your experience relates to the advertised position?”
His answer: “Uuum… ugh, where should I start?” as he cast his head back and eyes to the ceiling. He had no clear, cogent answers. He failed to… “make clear how [his] skills and experience translate into benefits”.
So, how does one do this?
Let’s go back to our Data Engineer / Chief Data Officer. His message to the world should be focussed on BENEFITS he provides:
➤ “In a city, my data analytics team provides insight into traffic – resulting in better planning, less congestion, happier citizens.”
➤ “In a hospital, my data analytics solutions help understand the use of costly machines – saving money, squeezing the most from them.”
➤ “In a telecom, my analytics make sure we understand customer preferences, giving them what they want, retaining them.”
➤ “In logistics our analytics identify the best shipping routes, delivery time and the most cost-efficient means of transport.”
Simplistic examples, perhaps, but what’s the point? State clearly, in detail, how your experience translates into actual benefits. How it solves problems the employer actually has, real world challenges (things that keep them awake at night).
🎯 ONE SIMPLE WAY TO PUT THIS TO WORK IN LINKEDIN:
Use your “About” section. Have a section with a headline: “Problems I Solve, Benefits I Deliver”.
Selling yourself like this helps everybody. It shows how you’re not just “experienced”, but that you make a real-world difference. This is an essential part of moving from “stuck” to having options.
You have options, even if you’re over 50.
👉 Okay, so IF you’re around 50, you may have a problem: wanting to leave the corporate mothership (or even being subtly elbowed out). But where to? To do what? For who?
Those questions can stall you.
Last week I wrote a piece detailing Step #1 of what you need to do to make the road ahead clearer (even exciting!)
➤ Step #1 is “Take Inventory”. Yep, what do you have that could help others – skills, knowledge, wisdom? These are the building blocks of becoming and remaining ‘in demand’ out there ‘in the wild.’
But there’s more to it. It’s not just WHAT you do. It’s WHO you do it for – who you could help, who has problems you could solve.
Example:
You’re a Data Engineer – business intelligence, data analytics, data warehouses, ETL, data bases, ‘big data’ – this is your world. You lead large teams of super intelligent people in a massive telecom. Your job title is Chief Data Officer.
You’re in charge of collecting, organising, providing access to, understanding, analysing, creating reports to reveal trends, to help understand the business, all to promote better business decisions.
Okay, that’s the “WHAT” you do. Now the “WHO” you do it for.
At present it’s a Telecom. BUT what you do really applies to so all kinds of enterprises. And that realisation could change your thinking around what you do and who you do it for Big time.
So, you could leave your company and:
➤ Contract back to them on a consulting or contract basis.
➤ Provide advisory services to the ‘big data’ sofware vendors
➤ Offer specialist project based services to consulting firms
➤ Create your own set of ‘mini’ analytics services for SMMEs
➤ You start a YouTube channel / podcast discussing Big Data
➤ You start a website, analysing trends, new methods, products
➤ You develop a talk around cool analytics topics and speak at conferences – where you release your inner comedian too
And you…
➤ Consult to Golf Clubs (worldwide) – consulting to them about “mining” their member data for marketing purposes (cause you love golf and this sounds like a bit of fun)
So… do you see how it’s important to get creative about WHO you can provide value to? It opens the mind.
Hope this helps you! I’m here to speak if you’d like to chat more about what you’re facing.
#over50 #professionalcvwritergerard #the50service
[Need my help with this? Let’s get on a call for 15 minutes to see if we’re good to work on this together. I’m on gerard@gerardleroux.me]
👉 Should you share your age on your CV / resume, if you’re on the wrong side of 45 or 50?
In fear of “ageism” you could try to hide your age. Should you?
Dunno… trying to hide it doesn’t sit well with me. If the employer / recruiter is ageist, they’ll figure it out one way or another! And then you look like you’re trying to deceive. It brings into question your integrity. At least in their warped and twisted mind! Right?
Having said that, ageism is out there. So there’s also no need to shout it from the rooftops or bring it up on the first line, okay? But it will eventually be revealed, and here’s the thing:
⚡ they will either care, or they will not…
They will either see age as an obstacle. Or they will focus on your value. What problems you can solve. What solutions you bring. That’s the kind of employer you’re looking for. And that’s where to place your focus on your CV/resume.
3 Points to finish off:
➤ 1) be modern, up to date, concise, bold and clear – this counters the stereotype, look like you’re dynamic, ‘with it.’
➤ 2) adapt your content to showcase how you solve the problems they have. Be relevant. And …
➤ 3) be flexible in terms of how you are hireable (ie not just on a permanent, long term contract).
Comments?
(What does the picture below tell you? Certainly “older”. But also confident, experienced, formidible. Why hide it?)
👉 LATE IN YOUR CAREER? Here’s 1 good idea of a series of good ideas for you if: 1) you’re around 50, 2) are facing a change at work and 3) want to keep yourself sought after for your immense experience, skills, knowledge.
😎 Here’s the thing – you go on in your career, year after year, and everything is fine. You have many wins. Promotions. Awards. You slay your enemies in the corporate battlefield!
You change jobs here and there. You’re ‘headhunted’. No job ad applications for you. Your reputation precedes you.
🤔 But then… as you get older… your priorities start changing. You may start daydreaming – yes, really – of a less intense environment. Less politics. More flexibility. But making a change is risky. (Because, if you leave your existing job when you’re over 50, you only have a 10% chance you will ever again be compensated at the level of the job you left – Urban Institute & Prorepublica report).
So, how do you create options for yourself – options to continue being valuable, sought after – but more on your own terms? Here’s step #1.
➤ Step 1 is: TAKE INVENTORY
Taking inventory means defining how you’re valuable. And to whom you’re valuable. Imagine you’re a small business for a minute. It’s just you. In the wild. What do you have that could help others – skills, knowledge, wisdom? These are the building blocks of what’s to come – becoming ‘in demand’.
(Seems simple, right? Not so fast. These actually may be tough questions to answer if youve been embedded for so long in your corporate career. So, I’ll be expanding on it later this week.)
[Need my help with this? Let's get on a call for 15 minutes to see if we're good to work on this together. I'm on gerard@gerardleroux.me]
👉 I get lot’s of questions about having an “ATS” CV / resume. Which means a CV that works well with Applicant Tracking Systems – software / bots that scan your CV to figure out if you match a job ad.
I have two things to say about this:
➤ 1) have two CVs/resumes. One for people – more visually appealing, with more interesting elements that grab attention (eg a quote from your MD saying “Joe walks on water!” and perhaps a pic that makes you look friendly, warm, competant – a good pic can do that.) This is the document you send direct to a contact.
A second CV for ATS’s – easy for search engines to scan, really plain to look at, a simple document focussed on keywords, easy to edit to match the job ad (this has to be done if your ATS resume is going to work at all), easy to upload online.
➤ 2) Don’t let it get to the point where you need any kind of ATS CV. Fact is, you’re unlikely to rank high in the search results unless you practically match every word on the job ad, even then… There are so many factors playing in. It’s a needle in a haystack situation. You’re better off connecting with real live people.
I write ATS CVs but I warn my clients not to expect too much from it.
It’s all just a blur. Y’know, all that information that comes at you daily – via email, social media, Internet?
So, how do you reach your prospect?
With a message that is in their immediate interest.
So, here’s the trick to that. Say you’re selling a glue product. In your sales material you say…
And to that your prospect will say… “so what?!”
But let’s try that again…
What’s the difference? By adding the benefit to the listed product feature, you’re thinking from your customer’s point of view – what will they gain? what’s in it for them? what actual, ‘on-the-ground’ problem does it solve for them?
And that… that… they are likely to find much more interesting and persuasive. No longer just a blur, but a solution.
So, in the copy on your website, in a brochure, in your business profile, on your business LinkedIn page – always think of benefits to your prospective customer. Make them feel understood. It opens their mind. As a result, they’ll buy.
Major positive impact. Tipping the scale in your favor. In a moment, sparking a ‘buy’ decision.
That’s what the right testimonial can do – on your website, on your business card, on your business profile, on an advert. Here’s what this means. Here’s why it works.
First, here’s an example – a testimonial I received:
“Gerard really took time to understand me. I felt down a career hole. I was tired and burned out. I was being trampled on by younger people wanting my job. Gerard took my CV and completely transformed the way I saw myself. He picked out the golden threads of my career, experience and skills. He showcased my value, value I’d all but forgotten. He presented me in a confident, bold, modern way. I cannot tell you how it boosted my confidence. It lifted my spirits. It gave me hope that I could open new doors.”
– GM: Finance, XYZ Corp, CA(SA)
Here’s why the right testimonial can influence and persuade.
With those two things: connection / relateability and the credibility of the source… it’s a very powerful combination.
Collect these. Go back to your favourite clients. Ask them for one. Just a casual email is fine. No need for letterheads and perfect grammar. Then showcase them as a weekly post on your FB page, on your website, on your LinkedIn business page, in an email to a prospect as a P.S. at the bottom or as part of the sig text.
[Need my help in putting ideas like this to work in your business? I can help. A lot of it revolves around writing the messages and coming up with the ideas. Let's get on a call for 15 minutes to see if we're good to work on this together. I'm on gerard@gerardleroux.me]
Very few small businesses do this. But for those that do, they get new business coming in from seemingly ‘nowhere’ every day. It’s easy to do. But it does require some writing, some organisation and scheduling.
Here’s who this is for:
And here’s the idea: collect email addresses and stay in touch with your existing clients.
To explain the power, here’s scenario:
Restaurant #1 and Restaurant #2
Both #1 and #2 are great places. Good food. Value for money. But they’re both facing tough times. Inflation. Patrons who don’t come as much, don’t spend as much.
But #1 has, over time, made a practice of staying close to their customers. On the very first visit they collect an email address from the customer.
Restaurant #1 also collects anniversary and birthday dates.
Restaurant #2 does none of this. They just put an ad in the local newspaper. They put up the odd Facebook post. Then they hope for the best.
So, a question: which of #1 and #2 will get and keep getting business more consistently? And which of the two will be subject the the ups and downs of the market more?
#1 will. Obviously.
Here are the benefits of collecting and using email like this:
And it applies not to just restaurants. Mechanical workshop. Hey, a place that sells bearings. A jeweller. A cleaning supplies business.
I think I have only been asked for an email at a restaurant on two occasions. One I remember well, for it’s follow up via email. The other took the email address but did nothing with it. Pity. Because it works.
[Need my help in putting ideas like this to work in your business? I can help. A lot of it revolves around writing the messages and coming up with the ideas. Let's get on a call for 15 minutes to see if we're good to work on this together. I'm on gerard@gerardleroux.me]
Here’s a fact. Whatever you put in front of people – your CV or resume, a business profile, a presentation – if you want it to make an impact it must do two things. Minimum.
But it’s #2 I want to focus on in this post.
Here’s how to do that.
Build credibility.
Here’s what can happen if you don’t:
Here are some ‘credibility builders’ (thanks for the term, Bob Bly, copywriter).
These credibility builders encourage people to trust you. And people buy from people they trust.
👉 ARE YOU OVER 50 AND FACING A JOB-SEARCH CRISIS? (Step #1) I’m going to be writing a series of short steps to help you. Just know: there’s no quick, magic-fix. Some fresh thinking will be required. And perhaps uncomfortable actions. But a crisis is never comfortable anyway. Hopefully this will help you.
STEP #1: You may be hoping to carbon-copy your last job in a new job. You may be hoping to find exactly what you had before. That may not be happening for you. So what do you do?
It’s good to first figure out what jobs you could do, and want to do. So, do that. What specific jobs could you perform, conceivably? Make a list.
➤ Go up and down – more senior to less senior; go across – different technologies and disciplines within your field of expertise.
➤ When you look at jobs advertised in your field – what titles and descriptions appeal to you? Which makes you say: “I can do that.”
➤ Google “what jobs exist similar to mining engineer” (substitute mining engineer with what your job is). Explore. Observe.
➤ Also, speak to others, people you respect. Ask: “If you were me, what jobs would you be looking at?”
➤ Also, what are the jobs within your old job – different sub-functions? What jobs are associated with your old job?
Hopefully now, you have quite a long list. These are options. These are jobs you’d be good at. You have the experience.
Now, look out for tomorrow’s post.
👉 MAKE YOUR CV FUTURE FOCUSSED – you want to appeal to the NEXT employer, not just dumping your past on them. You want to give them what THEY’RE looking for. Here’s 1 easier way to do this (easier than spending hours overhauling your entire CV for every job you apply for):
Start your CV with a “Summary” and tailor it to match the job advert. Here’s a job advert, followed by the kind of summary I’m recommending.
➤ Sample job ad: “Management Accountant. Opportunity for a CIMA qualified management accountant with 5 years experience in the manufacturing sector. The position is focussed strongly on materials costing, cost reductions, and reporting financial and production data to the Production Manager and Managing Director and Senior Management Team. BTech or BCom degree, Syspro skills an advantage. Boksburg area.”
➤ Here’s my recommendation (see the image below) – see how it checks the boxes in the advert? It also adds real results and statistics. All the best stuff. Right up front. It’s useful there. It’s hard to miss. It’s helpful to the reader. This is the kind of CV I try to write for my clients every day (usually a bit more modern in style, every CV is different). Hope this helps you today.
👉 A SHOCKING STORY. No, I don’t have one for you, but I do recommend it. For what? As a way to start your next talk.
I have a short talk tonight on the topic of controlling one’s temper. I’m starting with a story. Actually, I’m starting with the most shocking part of the story. Here it is: “I ran home, took an axe, and began to smash the windows of my house”. (not my story, someone elses!)
Instead of saying, “can everyone hear me?” or “my name is”, or “um, uh, well, thank you for listening to me”. Rather, I’ll start with the drama, intrigue and desire to hear more of that line.
How could you do the same in your next talk?
➤ Is it a business presentation? Can you use a shocking story of a competitor who’s gone out of business? Or a story of a failed initiative? Or of a shockingly successful project? Or a shocking statistic. Can you use these as warnings or wake up calls?
➤ In a job interview? When asked, “So, tell us about yourself?” can you start by saying something unexpected? Like this perhaps: “In my last job, I took an axe to supply chain costs. During my first 3 months we negotiated better terms, and saved 11% annually.”
Getting off to an attention getting start is always a great idea. In trying to help my clients give better talks, this is one easy way.
Job hunting and CV writing idea:
👉map the landscape.👈
What does it mean? Ask yourself and research these questions:
When you narrow your search down 🔬, when you’re specific 🎯, when you focus on their needs (and build that into your CV), when you’re introduced to them by someone they already know and trust 🤝… you get better, »» quicker results.
How to end a talk or presentation so that people remember – try this, say:
“So… what’s the lesson?”
In a talk, saying that is like putting up a flag or snapping your fingers. It commands attention. It says: “okay, here are the highlights, here’s what to remember.”
Then you go on to share the 3 key points you shared. And you share what you want your audience to do with that info.
Public speaking idea: grab attention 💥 in your next talk / speech / presentation❗️ How? Try a question. Like this, perhaps:
➤ “How did XYZ (Pty) Ltd go from R3m in losses through chaos and waste… to a R500k profit in 1 year? And doing so by only spending R50k and by cutting no jobs?”
Pretty intriguing, right? So use questions to grab attention. BUT, only use a question that is intriguing to who your audience is. What would interest THEM? 🎯
When giving a talk, speech or presentation (#publicspeaking ), too many start with…
“um… can you hear me at the back there?”
or on Zoom…
“hi, can everyone hear me?”
Dunno. It’s weak. Fact is, they probably can hear you. Rather start with something more like this:
“In the next 5 minutes, you’re going to discover…”
More compelling, right?
👉 UNSUCCESSFUL JOB INTERVIEW? Watch this. Sweet revenge on the heartless, lying, dishonest and arrogant recruiters and HR people out there! This one’s for all the unsuccessful interviewees heading home with their heads down tonight! You need some comic relief. (Warning: bad word toward the end.)
How to end a talk or presentation so that people remember: try this:
“So… what’s the lesson?”
In a talk, saying that is like putting up a flag or snapping your fingers. It commands attention. It says:
“okay, here are the highlights, here’s what to remember.”
Then you go on to share the 3 key points you shared. And you share what you want your audience to do with that info.