In recent years, I have worked professionally as a marketer, as a technical trainer, and as a creative producer. I have worked as a full-time or part-time independent professional in each of these areas - essentially companies have hired me on a temporary basis to fill some specific need. The unique thing about this is that I've worked in two very seemingly unrelated functional areas (really it's not so unique when you think about how people are generating income these days, but reading further will explain why I say this). I have learned that some corporate environments aren't set up to embrace a multi-talented and resourceful (and some might say hustler) personality.
Recently, I had a phone conversation with a recruiter who was looking for a technical trainer. We spent about 10 minutes just discussing how it was that I could do technical training given I had marketing experiences. It was funny to me that she couldn't understand how I was able to do both types of work, marketing and training, successfully. The ability to do both didn’t seem comprehensible to her. Specifically, she didn’t understand why a company would hire someone with marketing experience to do a training job? (now because jobs are so competitive these days, I understand that employers are being very picky, but this was hilarious). I guess she didn't give much thought to the fact that some of the same skills it takes to stand in front of people to make a marketing presentation – good communication skills and audience management/engagement – are the same types of skills needed to be an effective trainer. Both involve the transfer of information and knowledge from one person to another. She also, apparently, didn't pay much attention to the fact that my undergraduate degree was in computer science nor that I had spent several summers programming computer systems thus giving me a solid grasp of technical concepts and terminology (this last point I had to point out as it is no longer on my resume).
Recently, I had a phone conversation with a recruiter who was looking for a technical trainer. We spent about 10 minutes just discussing how it was that I could do technical training given I had marketing experiences. It was funny to me that she couldn't understand how I was able to do both types of work, marketing and training, successfully. The ability to do both didn’t seem comprehensible to her. Specifically, she didn’t understand why a company would hire someone with marketing experience to do a training job? (now because jobs are so competitive these days, I understand that employers are being very picky, but this was hilarious). I guess she didn't give much thought to the fact that some of the same skills it takes to stand in front of people to make a marketing presentation – good communication skills and audience management/engagement – are the same types of skills needed to be an effective trainer. Both involve the transfer of information and knowledge from one person to another. She also, apparently, didn't pay much attention to the fact that my undergraduate degree was in computer science nor that I had spent several summers programming computer systems thus giving me a solid grasp of technical concepts and terminology (this last point I had to point out as it is no longer on my resume).
The interaction was amazing to me! But, then, I began to think about the recent challenge I had with updating my resume. And, I began to think of the challenge I'd had with updating my LinkedIn profile. I couldn't seem to easily display a linear progression of what I had been doing. It was a challenge for me to discuss two very different types of work experiences in a progressive way that didn't make me seem dysfunctional. I began to realize why she had difficulty understanding. I was a different candidate. Although I had very purposeful and great experiences with each successive assignment, communicating it I felt like I was a square peg squeezing into a round hole.
If you think about it the format for a resume is essentially a template that's been used by jobseekers for years to highlight skills and experiences. The basic format has pretty much been the same for as long as I have been working and then some. LinkedIn, while a new professional networking site, also forces you to use a template or pre-determined format to create a profile. For employers and for webmasters, using a template or pre-determined format makes the process of managing information about hundreds of people much easier and more efficient than if there were no structure. In fact, this recruiter probably had a template she was using to evaluate the people she was considering for the position.
As far as my resume, I suppose I could have just created two different resumes. Actually, some career coaches suggest doing this and I have done it the past. As far as LinkedIn, I suppose I could have simply created two different Linked In profiles for myself. Admittedly, the thought did cross my mind. But, all of that requires too much time and effort to maintain. Doing so would have been confusing and would have kept me from focusing on more important things because of the busy-ness of trying to be “two different people”. So, I decided to incorporate all into a single resume and in a single profile and to highlight the benefit and value of being multi-functional. In my mind, the combination of the two seemingly different functions makes me a very unique candidate that is perfect for some specific opportunity. In fact, that has turned out to be true. I now have a client for which I provide online training of marketing concepts to small businesses.
So what does this have to do with getting to my destination? Well… for one thing I learned to continue to focus on the better thing. Rather than trying to make myself "fit" into a template designed to make things efficient and easy for the world by scaling back, presenting a one dimensional view of who I am so I can "fit" in the template, I need to simply be who I am and blaze a new trail if I must. Besides, isn't doing things differently how new discoveries are made? If we ALL just fall in tow fitting into templates, from where will all the freshness and the newness then come?
Second, when I embrace who I am – and quit trying to squeeze into the template – I am less tough on myself and can blossom, expand and grow (remember the saying accentuate the positives..)!
And, finally, isn't this whole thing about being ready for those opportunities that I, alone, was born to do... my destiny? Well, when I am busy trying to fit into the template, I have little energy or time left to do me. If I'm all spent, why would a destiny opportunity show up and avail itself? And, if it did show up, I wouldn't have the energy to walk in it. So, if destiny is what I'm living for, God's true purpose for my life, I want to be ready and able to walk in it. That’s why I’m on this journey, right? So, I have settled into and begun to embrace ALL dimensions of me and share that with those who appreciate the uniqueness.
Are you embracing and nurturing and growing every single unique thing about you? Are you cultivating you in anticipation of being ready for the opportunity that is made for only you? Don't expend all that energy trying to fit. You may never. Just DO YOU and enjoy the ride!!
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