During one of my LinkedIn-Makeover Plus sessions today, I had an interesting conversation. My client asked me to add “Dynamic and Energetic Leader” to the Summary section. I refused. And here’s the reason. It’s fine and dandy to put that into a resume, it’s practically expected… but your LinkedIn profile is NOT your resume! Your LinkedIn profile allows you to tell a story. So rather than saying, “I’m a dynamic and energetic leader” tell a story that conveys that sentiment. Talk about your guiding philosophy. Talk about your core management values. Tell a story about how you motivated a team out of the doldrums and into amazing sales! Let your reader come to the conclusion that you are a dynamic and energetic leader.
Consider this…. when you talk to a person and they say things like, “As an ethical person,” or “I genuinely mean it!” Aren’t you left thinking the opposite? Same goes for “dynamic and energetic leader.”
There’s another part of “Dynamic and Energetic Leader” I don’t like and that’s that it’s overused. In fact, LinkedIn created a list of the most overused buzzwords of last year and DYNAMIC is one of them.
Top 10 overused buzzwords in LinkedIn Profiles in the USA – 2010
- Extensive experience
- Innovative
- Motivated
- Results-oriented
- Dynamic
- Proven track record
- Team player
- Fast-paced
- Problem solver
- Entrepreneurial
Honestly, I don’t have a problem using any of these words if it makes sense. But again, rather than using the words, TELL A STORY! Don’t say you have a proven track record. Tell your reader about your last 3 deals that were smashing successes. Tell how you single-handedly won that big account and up sold them on top of it all.
Your homework? Scan your LinkedIn profile looking for these overused buzzwords. If you see any, ask yourself, “Am I just being lazy? Could I provide more proof rather than relying on the buzzword?” And if the answer is yes, don’t worry about it! Devote some time to adding more content. Tell the story of WHY. Believe me, you will be glad you did!
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