• Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Master Executive Resume Writing Service

Professional Executive Resume Writing Services

  • Services + Pricing
    • Outplacement Services
  • Samples + Testimonials: Executives
    • Social Media Profile and Blog Content Development
  • Samples + Testimonials: Entrepreneurs
  • Reviews
  • Partner With Us
    • Our Writer
  • FAQs
  • Get Quote
  • Blog

September 28, 2009 By Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, Master Resume Writer 12 Comments

Don’t Be a “People Person” In Your Job Search

People Person picI understand the impulse to flesh out one’s career value with sweeping generalities:

  • I’m a people person (or, I’m really good with people; or, I like people).
  • I’m very strategic.
  • I’m attentive to detail.
  • I’m very organized.
  • I’m results oriented.
  • I’m innovative.
  • I think outside the box.
  • I’m a change leader.
  • I’m a team leader.
  • I bring people together.

I discourage this approach in favor of a more specific, focused method.

To engage in a job-search-related conversation with such bland language is counterproductive and akin to omitting the baking powder from a chocolate cake. The conversation falls flat. That glazed-eyes look you evoke in your listener (e.g., hiring manager, recruiter, HR manager, networking contact, etc.) results.

What listeners desire is a vivid word picture that you paint using bold color strokes that evoke emotion and crystallize your value to them.

If you’re speaking with a hiring manager, and he’s looking for a sales manager who can take their down-trodden, global sales team from lagging sales to double-digit growth, then you’d best BE that person. Your words must serve as both frame and photo; you quickly frame the situation and then create a bold, focused snapshot that crops out unnecessary details, a word snapshot that illustrates you’ve been there, done that!

By snapping word pictures ahead of interviews (i.e., creating a targeted, crisp resume story and interview prep material), you’re equipped with a word story collection that you can tap for interviews.

Initially, you may be sifting and sorting through an amassment of 5, 10, 15 or even 25+ years of career snapshots. Many of these snapshots are only relevant to you, and not the listener, as they lack vivid focus, have too much background noise, or simply, aren’t relevant to the targeted listener who can impact hiring you or recommending you. Pack those irrelevant pictures away and maintain the relevant images top of stack.

To recap:

• Don’t be a “people person.”

• Be a problem fixer whose stories resonate with the listener’s needs (points of pain; areas where revenues need boosted, costs need contained, processes need streamlined, etc.).

• Show, through striking word snapshots that you have solved problems similar to the problems the company you’re targeting is facing.

• Be selective, identify the most relevant, compelling word pictures that illustrate your value to the individual you’re communicating to (versus spilling open a long album of word snapshots that will invoke boredom and frustration).

• Frame your picture (your frame should accentuate and introduce your picture story, not detract from it).

• Ensure you’ve used word snapshots that are colorful and sharply focused.

• Be humbly confident in your picture storytelling abilities; this positive energy will flow to the listener.

Filed Under: branded resume, career strategy, executive resume, Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, Resume Story, resume strategy Tagged With: executive resume, job seekers, JobSearch, marketing, resume strategy, resume writing, resumes, unique value propositions, value proposition

Comments

  1. Karen Siwak says

    September 28, 2009 at 3:43 pm

    I agree Jacqui, a great resume is all about telling a great story. Books that are full of superlatives with no plot are boring! Same thing holds true for resumes.

    Reply
    • careertrend says

      September 28, 2009 at 4:06 pm

      Karen,
      What a great analogy! Our role as resume strategists, indeed, is to unveil that plot and convey a compelling story to hiring managers, et al.

      Thank you for offering your insightful comment!

      Jacqui

      Reply
  2. Lisa (lablady) says

    September 28, 2009 at 7:20 pm

    Great article! Being a people person may mean that you pay too much attention socializing with either your co-workers or the public/customers without getting much done during your work day, so it’s critical that you define HOW you work with others to produce results for the company. It’s all about specific examples. Jacqui, I love how you use a picture frame to help fine-tune relevant accomplishments. Great visual!

    Reply
    • careertrend says

      September 28, 2009 at 7:32 pm

      Hi Lisa,
      True (re: people person may indicate too much socializing 🙂 And, you make a good point why clarifying ‘how’ you apply this trait for the ‘good’ of a company is critical!

      Glad you liked the picture frame example!

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Jacqui

      Reply
  3. susanireland says

    September 28, 2009 at 11:12 pm

    If someone’s a people person, they don’t have to say so because it will shine through in the writing and speaking.

    Great post!

    Reply
    • careertrend says

      September 28, 2009 at 11:46 pm

      Great point, Susan!

      Show, don’t tell, right? It’s about concrete evidence of an ability.

      Thanks so much for taking time to comment!

      Jacqui

      Reply
  4. Janet Cranford says

    September 30, 2009 at 1:39 pm

    Jacqui, I love your photography metaphor! It’s a very effective way to help people remember to be more specific and focused in their writing as they portray their unique value propositions.

    Thanks for another wonderful article!

    Janet

    Reply
  5. Julie Walraven says

    February 6, 2010 at 8:52 pm

    Love the examples! Your word pictures always shine through well. Very creative and informative at the same time.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Don't Be a “People Person” In Your Job Search « Career Trend's Blog | People Finder says:
    September 29, 2009 at 12:56 am

    […] the original here: Don't Be a “People Person” In Your Job Search « Career Trend's Blog Share and […]

    Reply
  2. Resume Vs. LinkedIn: Either/Or? | Career Management Alliance Blog says:
    May 25, 2010 at 7:41 am

    […] Don’t Be a “People Person” In Your Job Search I understand the impulse to flesh out one’s career value… Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin. Print This Post […]

    Reply
  3. Don’t Be a Cliché in Your Resume | Career Management Alliance Blog says:
    December 14, 2010 at 8:22 am

    […] referred to above. Every hiring manager already knows that you are a motivated, highly energetic, people person who is passionate about the position being applied for. They know that because so were the other 27 […]

    Reply
  4. Writing Your Resume To Appeal To The Small Business Market | Glassdoor.com Blog says:
    September 29, 2011 at 7:02 am

    […] act on decisions more quickly and with fewer resources than do larger, more bureaucratic companies. SHOW, through custom-crafted stories, that you will fit into the small-business environment.To help you locate which companies to target […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

903.523.5952
jacqui@careertrend.net
www.CareerTrend.net
Get Quote

Subscribe to our Newsletter

* indicates required

Subscribe to blog via Email


Enter your email address:



Recent Posts

  • Finding Freedom + Creative Expression From the Space and Beauty of Raw Land | Starting Over, Again
  • 7 People Making a Splash With Their Words of the Year
  • How a Year of Contemplation Led the Founder + President of Performance CXO, to Select His 3 Words
  • How I Chose My 2025 Word of the Year: Balancing the Nuance of Complexity With the Liberation of Simplicity
  • Executive: “Do This, Not That” When Writing (or Hiring Someone to Write) Your Career Story Resume

Facebook Community

CareerTrend

Categories

Tag Cloud

3 Words branded resume career career advice career branding career change career coach career documents Career Hope career management Career Story career strategy change Executive Career Story executive resume executive resume branding Executive Resume Story Executive Resume Writer interview coaching Interview Preparation Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter job loss job search JobSearch job search advice job seekers Life change LinkedIn LinkedIn Profile marketing New Year professional resume writer resume Resume Branding resume length resumes Resume Story resume strategy Resume Update resume writer resume writing Social Media unique value proposition unique value propositions value proposition

Career and Business News

Career Digital
Resume Twitter Career Job Search More >>

Campaign Websites for Conservative Candidates

Copyright © 2008–2025 | Career Trend | All Rights Reserved