Do you struggle to articulate your value? Read this before you ask ChatGPT.
There was a time in my career when I hated the question:
“So, what do you do?”
Because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t explain it without feeling scattered.
My career didn’t follow a linear pattern.
I've always been one of those guys whose skills and experiences don't fit neatly into standard job titles.
The kind of person who lives in the intersection of various domains, but doesn't fit into one in particular.
The super-adaptive person who can fiercely tackle almost any complex and ambiguous business problem and find a creative way to solve it.
But my versatility — the very thing that made me strong — also had an undesirable side effect.
Networking was painful, especially with people who listened politely to my ramble with glazed eyes, not knowing what to make out of it, who to introduce me to, or how to best help me.
Not having a clear and crisp way to tell my professional story led me to many moments when I doubted my value, my expertise, and my choices.
In today's frantic job market, no one has the time or willingness to connect the dots for you.
These days, everyone is stretched thin and has short attention spans.
Recruiters, decision-makers and advocates are too busy.
They don’t have time to piece together your strengths.
They don't have time to imagine a perfect role for you.
They want people who are ready to “hit the ground running” and help alleviate their most pressing headaches.
It’s up to you to show them which headaches you’re in a unique position to solve for them.
If you can’t articulate your unique value clearly (internally or externally):
Someone less qualified but more strategic will get that job.
You'll keep getting typecasted for the same roles you're trying to leave behind.
You'll continue compromising your values to fit roles that are not a great fit.
Which takes me to the insight that conventional career coaches and so-called “Personal Branding” experts fail to talk about:
Articulating your unique value much deeper than strategic messaging—it’s an emotional minefield.
I’m talking about those gremlins that fog your thinking long before you open a blank document:
Am I sounding arrogant? Silly? Am I aiming too high? If I’m not this, then what am I? What if I commit to this and it doesn’t land? Would changing the message make me look flaky? What do I do with this story? How do I use it to reach out?, blah, blah, blah…
Sure, AI can swap adjectives and polish syntax, and be a formidable thinking partner. What it can’t do is cut through the muck that pushes you to play it safe.
Point out your blind spots and faulty beliefs.
Help you build the courage to move forward.
Call you out and lift you when you're underestimating yourself.
Compare notes and share real-life lessons (e.g. “This is what worked…”)
Build relationships with other professionals who are on the same journey.
That’s what humans do!
If you are one of those “Swiss Army Knife” types who struggles to find their sweet spot…
I’m developing a Career Reposition Lab for high-achieving mid-career professionals like you, who want to revamp their career story and repackage their skills for their next move.
Space is limited. Be among the first to know when enrollment opens!