Recently in the LinkedIn Group that I founded and manage – LinkedCincinnati – a member posted an interesting Discussion topic that sparked over 175 comments – by far the most active Discussion in our Group since it’s inception in October 2007.
It was a simple request:
Describe what you do in exactly 7 words.
It was interesting to see all of the responses to the question over a few weeks and through them I learned about/became interested in several people I wasn’t familiar with who conveyed their personal or business brand in a concise and meaningful way. Others paid no attention to the 7 word limit and rambled on as they likely would in person (rule-breakers). A few used less that 7 words (show offs/rule-breakers) and at least one person answered the question several times with a different 7 word response each time (confused?).
Whether you’re a seasoned/employed professional, a business owner, a person in career
transition or a recent college grad, it’s important to have a descriptive and succinct response to the inevitable question you’ll encounter when meeting someone for the first time – “What do you do?”.
And while it’s not typically required to limit yourself to 7 words, I think this is a good exercise that I’ve been giving some thought to myself – but it’s not easy, so I’m still working on it.
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So – can you describe what you do in exactly 7 words?
Give it a shot in the comments and from those who participate, I’ll pick a winner of a $25 Starbucks gift card using Random.org.
And if you win and you’re like me and don’t drink coffee, you can spend your winnings on their lovely selection of bottled water. Which leads me to the perfect 7 word description for myself…
World’s only human who doesn’t drink coffee.
LinkedIn
Twitter
Facebook
Delicious
Flickr
I have never had coffee (I don’t even like the taste in coffee cakes), so you may need an edit.
Oh, and my entry would be
“I excel at gathering and communicating information.”
Which is incredibly boring…
“Making Excel do my bidding, evil laugh.”
MUCH better!
I’m a Human Resource Generalist, People Passionate!
Energized experienced maintenance manager who gets results.
“Recruit talented professionals so fast you’ll freak”
Getting stuff done, now
Spot, recruit, develop, retain and energize talent.
Growing Technology Consulting through customer focus
Enthusiastically Sourcing and Placing Quality Candidates
Career catalyst for visionary, gutsy, fun CEOs.
I don’t drink coffee. I love tea.
I’ma set it straight, this Watergate
Tri-state’s Top IT Professional Recruiting Match Maker
Helping people find their destiny through job-coaching
Employment Brand Ambassador and Professional Friend Maker
Helping CFOs repackage, position, and land!
HR radical challenging the HR world everyday !!
I turn clicks into gold. Want some?
Local focus community building and web publishing
This was great exercise.
It may not sound exciting but trust me it is…
employment brand manager for Sodexo USA
Hire awesome engineers for Google in Boston?
Online Marketing God Anointing Business with Success
Cool nature photographer stumbling in product management
Promoter of what is good in government.
Great idea!
I write killer resumes for creative professionals
Creative catalyst for increased revenue through marketing.
The other non-coffee drinker. Tea for me.
Defense/Aerospace CEO, creating value with integrity.
Posted with permission, on behalf of @TheStandupCEO
Global business catalyst challenging traditional value propositions.
I bring industry-changing ideas to market.
Provide Internet Marketing Know-how to Private Clubs
Find the supposedly impossible people to find.
Post, Hunt, Source, Interview, Place, Boom!
Eat, work, write, sleep, sing, ride, listen
Change your Career Stress into Career Success
Build innovative teams to drive business results.
@noraburns
As my alter-ego on Twitter…. @phrsphr
Help Human Resource folks obtain professional certification
build relationships and connect talent with opportunities
The CIO Coach | Accelerating Technology Executive Careers
Top Talent taking action to better tomorrow
I help people, help themselves: Learning Development!
Twitter: @BenjaminMcCall
http://RethinkHR.org
I’ll take two chocolate shakes from UDF!
Provides business value through strategic software implementation.
Improve business performance through effective people resources.
Enthusiatically dedicated in driving profitable new business
Disruptive leader making global computer markets sizzle.
I make words do wonders for you.
Organized, Creative, Passionate Community Coordinator in Cincinnati
I help job seekers become treasure hunters.
twitter: @jobsearchtips4u
Hi Edia,
Thanks for taking the time to comment on my recent blog post at Cincy Recruiter's World: Can Your Awesomeness Be Contained To 7 Words!
So far, over 40 people have accepted the challenge and some great examples have been shared. I even added a few of the early submissions as good examples of Personal Branding Statements to a presentation I did for a women's leadership group last week! (http://www.cincyrecruiter.com/cincy_recruiter/2010/02/personal-branding-and-women-leaders.html)
And now for the "winner" of the $25 Starbucks Gift Card as chosen via http://www.random.org (drumroll please)… Tim Sackett! Tim's "Recruit talented professionals so fast you'll freak" is both descriptive and matches Tim's personality – which can be found on display regularly at Fistful of Talent – http://www.fistfuloftalent.com/meet-tim-sackett-covering-talent-and-technical-recruiting-for-fistful-of-talent.html.
I hope you'll continue to check out Cincy Recruiter's World and help me/other readers to get smarter by sharing more of your comments in the future!
Jennifer McClure
Cell: 513-907-6461
Email: cincyrecruiter@gmail.com
Blog: http://www.cincyrecruiter.com
Connect With Me
Thanks for taking the time to comment on my recent blog post at Cincy Recruiter's World: Can Your Awesomeness Be Contained To 7 Words!
So far, over 40 people have accepted the challenge and some great examples have been shared. I even added a few of the early submissions as good examples of Personal Branding Statements to a presentation I did for a women's leadership group last week! (http://www.cincyrecruiter.com/cincy_recruiter/2010/02/personal-branding-and-women-leaders.html)
And now for the "winner" of the $25 Starbucks Gift Card as chosen via http://www.random.org (drumroll please)… Tim Sackett! Tim's "Recruit talented professionals so fast you'll freak" is both descriptive and matches Tim's personality – which can be found on display regularly at Fistful of Talent – http://www.fistfuloftalent.com/meet-tim-sackett-covering-talent-and-technical-recruiting-for-fistful-of-talent.html.
I hope you'll continue to check out Cincy Recruiter's World and help me/other readers to get smarter by sharing more of your comments in the future!
Jennifer McClure
Cell: 513-907-6461
Email: cincyrecruiter@gmail.com
Blog: http://www.cincyrecruiter.com
Connect With Me