“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.” Dr. Seuss
In my one-on-one coaching sessions and career training workshops, I talk a LOT about storytelling. Once you start thinking of your career transition as a marketing campaign, you soon realize that you need crisp, dynamic and compelling language to share the “story” of you throughout your marketing materials {resume, cover letter, email communications, Linked In profile, etc.).
My favorite storyteller is Dr. Seuss. And the above quote captures today’s lesson…keep your answers SIMPLE! But today I want to share this lil nugget I stumbled across. It’s a simple description of a woman’s blazer from the J. Peterman Catalog:

A Dangerous Woman
I keep watching her.
We all do.
She elegantly unbuttons this unique scarf collar blazer while brushing her cards softly back to the table.
In her previous life, she was Beatriz Galindo.
In this one, she doesn’t use titles (not even the ones she’s earned). Her essays are brilliant, even in translation. Her osso bucco, the same.
Tonight, at this little casino in northern Spain (in the Palacio de los Condes), I remain a fascinated spectator as she gracefully flips over a straight flush, King high.
The men at the table smile.
Lovesick. Broke.
Scarf Collar Blazer (No. 3752). A proprietary breathable cotton blend. Ruffle scarf shawl collar has a touch of angora and polyester for softness, with knit trim and knit rosette. Self-covered dome buttons. Unlined. Rounded cutaway at front sweep.
Sexy, right? You get a clear picture of the woman that wears this jacket. A complete story in just a few simple paragraphs.
As you continue to cultivate your own story, keep this little gem in mind. Unfortunately, when we get nervous we tend to verbally vomit or get overly wordy. If you’re not clear on what’s compelling about HOW you do what you DO in your working life, how can you possibly expect to clearly articulate that to friends, at a networking event, while volunteering, in an interview, to a recruiter or hiring manager?
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