Gerald Grinter

Business Mentor and Author
Seattle, Washington

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I Don’t Need A Resume I’m an Entrepreneur!

So there I was wrapped up all nice and neat in my own world. Doing what I normally do when I sign up for a sign up for a social media site.

Written Feb 08, 2012, read 1327 times since then.

So there I was wrapped up all nice and neat in my own world. Doing what I normally do when I sign up for a sign up for a social media site. I filled-in the boxes with great things about myself (from memory of course). Writing down all of my greatest feats of grace and tenacity that brought me to where I am today. The truth is doing this in between running my business things sometime got lost in translation.

Then I ran across and article by Deborah Drake that sat me up in my chair and how not to have a stealth profile. The truth of the matter is that most of us haven’t really written anything or chronicled our career path since we wrote our last resume. And for me the last resume’ I wrote is the one I wrote for the last job I had before I started my last business almost 18 years ago. I figured I was done. Finito! Finished with ever having to need one of those things ever AGAIN!

Hey after all. All I needed was my business cards, a website and say a few clever things about myself on my “About Gerald” page and my 15 profiles on the different social media and networking sites and everyone will know what I do and how I do it (okay, I don’t really have that many, it just feels like it). Some of them weren’t even complete. Now everyone can see my education, the companies I’ve worked with and they will come. The problem was, that my stuff looked like everyone else’s stuff. It blended in beautifully.

Now as an entrepreneur, business owner, guru, you may not need a true resume but a professional profile is a must. A good one. One that you have put some time into. Most of us do the same thing everyone else does and that‘s why none of us sticks out. You want to be that “Meatball” in the Spaghetti as my good friend Don Burrows says.

Think about it. What makes you unique. What was the path you traveled to get you where you are today. Tell that story. I’m quite sure there is some exciting stuff there. Minus the dancing on the speakers thing that happened in Vegas last year. And, if you are as good a writer as I think you are there is a way to make it relevant to the subject you are writing about, job you are seeking or project you want to bid on. And even if you aren’t there is someone out there who can help you lay it all out and make sense of it. Don Burrows helped me with mine. He actually does this for a living (great guy…he’ll put you to work though, so be ready).

I started with an accomplishments list to capture my thoughts about what I wanted to say and then trimmed them down into a short couple of sentences for each accomplishment. Once you start doing this you’ll be amazed at all of the things that have happened in your life that got you to this point. You know the ones that make you say “Ah shucks ma’am, I was just doing my job”. When the truth of the matter is you probably did something really outstanding. You’ll probably even smile and say…”I did this”.

Then the coolest thing will happen. Others will want to know more about you because your profile is unique and compelling. Heck, they may even want to do business with you. How cool is that? So when was the last time you changed or updated your profile? Until next time. Write On! (sorry about that…I had to go there). Be well.

Learn more about the author, Gerald Grinter.

Posted by Paul McFadden, Bellevue, Washington | Feb 09, 2012

Gerald: Thanks for this. I agree with you. We all need to answer the question of what makes us different or unique. I also think we need to be constantly morphing our business as things change. Thanks again for your thoughts. Have a great day!

Paul
Posted by Deborah Drake, Bellevue, Washington | Feb 09, 2012

Gerald,

What a surprise to be cited as having inspired you. When Don and I worked with you to build that profile, it was a journey for us all. And now you talk ever more eloquently of who you are and what you do and with a deep sense of your core values, that have been present ever since your first business...

People would be "wise" to check out the profile you put on your site: http://thetpconsulting.com/Professional-Profile.html

I know you told Don and I that at least one prospective client (??) thus far reached out to you because of that page on your website after meeting you at event right?

Good Professional Storytelling in a short, sweet space that Provokes people to write/call/reach out.

Our Biznik Profiles, Our FB and LinkedIn Profiles all need to mimic each other if their goal is to attract ideal people to us.

You really did a lot with the Professional Profile process using the Resumes that Resume Careers in its first edition!

Which is why your profile in totality is featured in the 2nd edition coming soon!

Stealth Biznik Profiles still drive me nuts!!! (smile)
Posted by Gerald Grinter, Seattle, Washington | Feb 09, 2012

@ Paul, thanks for reading. Yeah, I think we all have accomplishments hiding inside that we should shine a light on. I think we'd be surprised at how many of those who know us would want to know us even more if we had the courage to share some of our best qualities.

@ Deborah, it was a journey I'll never forget. Scary, insightful and fun. I thank you both for looking inside of me and letting me know it was okay to be me in my business and to tell my story.

I can't wait to read the second edition of the book. I know it will rock like the first.

Yeah, actually someone did find me because of my profile and actually became a member of Biznik to contact with me. It was a compete surprise...and cool. Thank you both Deb and Don!
Posted by Nancy Meadows, Kirkland, Washington | Feb 10, 2012

Really great post, Gerald, and so important. I caught a glimpse of your profile in the second addition of Deborah and Don's book and I was impressed. You're pretty great!! I think one needs help in preparing a profile, as we tend to under rate ourselves. Hmm...maybe I should contact Don as well.
Posted by William Dudley Bass, Seattle, Washington | Feb 14, 2012

Gerald, insightful, inspiring, moving beyond hopin' some hopes to actions producing results. And I love that image...stand out like a meatball in spaghetti. I just like to put too much cheese on mine. Then I can't see it. No wonder!