Sharing, and creating, your journey
I think the hardest period in the long process of transitioning one’s career is the beginning. The beginning is that grey, frightening period when you know what you want to be, but have no idea how to effect that change. Sometimes, you have no idea what you want to do, you just know that you don’t want what you currently have. Change is the only constant in our lives…but that doesn’t make it any less terrifying.
Even worse for many people is that nowadays, with the endless onset of social media, there’s constant pressure to share your story, appearing in control, calm, charming, not arrogant, focused, excited, optimistic…oy. If you’re making drastic changes in your life, and you don’t wish to share your journey…who’d blame you? It’s your damn journey, after all. (Anyone who blames you, in my opinion, has never lived through the agonizing/exhilarating process themselves, and you should feel free to ignore them.)
But let’s say, for example, that you do want to share your journey, on the logic that telling people what you’re interested in, as well as why will, more than likely, bring you further opportunities. Let’s say that by sharing your transition with others, you make the journey more real for yourself: bueno. But again, how do you share your transition when you’re in the midst of it?
It’s up to you to intellectually make the leap, understanding how what you know now, including your current experience and education can help you, over time, transition to the person you wish to be. It’s up to you to decide that you’re not “kind of” becoming an entrepreneur, after years of working in the food industry or Kinkos; you are an entrepreneur.
Your LinkedIn summary is a great place to start. After all, on LinkedIn, your photo, headline and summary are what most people will read. If you want people to read further, and be interested in you, you must give them a reason to care. An intelligent, relevant LinkedIn summary is a great way to get people interested.
For most people, 3 paragraphs are the maximum for a solid summary. The first paragraph should discuss your new endeavor in the most concrete, realistic terms. Describe your new occupation—without explicitly mentioning that it is new—and any and all courses, certifications, hands-on experience you’ve had in that field in about 3 sentences. Ideally, give the reader an understanding of why you’re interested in this particular field or occupation. (This is excellent preparation for any and all job interviews; you will be asked why you’re interested in this field and “Um it seems kinda cool, you know” ain’t gonna cut it, sorry.) This is a great place to tell the reader your story and get him/her in your corner.
The second paragraph should discuss your previous experience: names of big companies you’ve worked for, including achievements or projects you’ve helmed; industry papers you’re written; social media campaigns managed; teams of people you managed, overseas work experience, corporate awards, consistently sterling job reviews. If you’re in your twenties, the third, and final paragraph, should mention your college and grad school, awards, Dean’s List, foreign languages, sports, overseas study and any influential professors you studied under. If you’re not in your twenties, that third paragraph can tell a bit more about you, assuming the tone, and information you volunteer are appropriate to your current industry. Thus, for example, if you’re making your way on Wall Street, working for a hedge fund, any “fun facts” you share should be pretty damn conservative and relevant. Check out the summaries of colleagues, mentors and other people within your industry: what kind of information do they relate? Know your audience.
For many people, writing something public like this is an excellent way to demonstrate, to the world and themselves, that this transition is real, that it is (damn well) going to happen. In a sense, your LinkedIn summary can become a manifesto. For that reason alone, a well-written, well-reason LinkedIn Summary can get you, and your readers, thinking and creating the opportunities necessary to your success.