Distill your truth in six words. Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway wrote a story in six words, “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn.” These few words are enough to allow you to create a picture in your mind.
I wrote a few that I share here. Can you get a sense of who I am, what I love, how I spend my time? Do those few words build a picture in your head of who I am? I hope so.
Editing is a blessing. Brevity is our goal. Why?
Writing or talking concisely shows you know what you are talking about. It makes you a better conversation partner because you get your point across quickly and directly allowing the other person time to participate in the conversation.
Job search candidates who can express what they want in just a few words have an advantage over their wordy brethren. Wordy job seekers waste time wandering all over the place in search of the point.
Hiring managers who can express what they want in just a few words have an advantage over their wordy brethren too. Wordy hiring managers like those who just post the job description put out such a wide net that almost everyone can fulfill the job requirements. Wait, are those really job requirements or just a bunch of words?
Job Seekers: What six words would you choose to represent who you are and what you want?
Hiring Managers: What six words would you choose to represent that job you want to fill?
In both cases the six words you finally choose will be the absolutely most important way to describe what you want. It will be so much easier for the other party to imagine how you will fit.