Sell yourself through Storytelling

It’s one of the most sought after skills in today’s market: the ability to tell a story to capture interest. Countless studies of the brain have taught us that humans have physiological reactions to the language used when storytelling.  We don’t just understand a story; we feel it too.

When you are selling yourself, such as in the situation of a job interview or a sales pitch, your audience is having an immersive experience.  You’re taking them on a journey with you.

But what about if you’re not physically in front of someone, regaling them with your tales of trials and triumphs?  What if someone is simply reading about you online?

Getting your story straight on LinkedIn

Your personal brand is heavily reliant on how you appear on LinkedIn.  Your LinkedIn profile is a chance to take us on your career journey and let us learn about who you are as a professional.  If you have listed your responsibilities underneath each job on LinkedIn, you’re missing out on the opportunity to really sell yourself.

Instead of this, think differently about how you talk about your experience and roles within each company you have worked for.  There will be many ways you can get across your role and responsibilities without treating LinkedIn as a resume.

For example, I used to work for Kraft Foods (now Mondelez).  So my LinkedIn profile could say:
Kraft Foods is an FMCG manufacturing company. While there I held the title of Senior Product Manager, managing a team of….Have you fallen asleep yet?

Or, I could capture the reader’s interest and inject my personality into the mix too.  Here’s what I actually have on my LinkedIn profile:

Who wouldn't love working at Kraft Foods, with iconic brands such as Vegemite, Peanut Butter and Toblerone! During my time at Kraft, I worked on 2 key categories: Product Manager - Meals and then Senior Product Manager - Pourables and Viscous (for "non-Kraft" people this means salad dressings and mayonnaise). I had the chance to be involved in a lot of new innovation, some of which is still around today, nearly 20 years later - so that can't be bad!

Within 3 sentences, I’ve told you about the company, my role and experience, and I’ve given you insight into my personality too.

I urge you to revisit your LinkedIn profile, and see how story telling can be used to take a reader on a journey where you are the hero they want to work with!