What did you say you do?

Remembering all my wonderful girlfriends, colleagues, suppliers and clients this weekend

With World Book Day behind us and International Women’s Day ahead of us I’ve been reflecting on how a woman like me got into writing books for sale through Amazon or well-known bookshops.  The truth is that I’m not an international author but a girl from South London who loves to keep going!  And someone who loves to write.

Just the other day I was writing ‘About Me’ for A Red Lipstick Lover’s Life – What’s Next? and fell into my own trap of indecision.  Too much about my HR credentials wouldn’t be relevant and no information might suggest my story was a ‘kiss and tell’ romantic novel.  And this got me thinking about how we want to come across to others.  Friends or colleagues, potential employers, and our clients.  But how many different stories do we want to tell?

This dilemma is one many of us need to face each time we update or rewrite our CVs.  What story do we want to share?  No surprises, I’m not a fan of multiple stories or distinctive stories for different job applications.  All too often, I need to remind my individual clients that their CV (and their personal story) should excite them, ahead of any recruiter or potential employer.  There’s always time to tailor what you’ve written once you know more about the role that you want.

I don’t see myself as ‘having a job’ these days.  But that I help others to help themselves.  Whether that’s through writing or coaching or a bit of both, I’m always seeking out new ways to work with people and stay up to date with fresh techniques or technologies.

Now it’s your turn – what did you say you do?