Are You Bad on Paper, But Good in Person?

Some people are great on paper. They check all the right boxes, say all the right things. Then you meet them, and you can't understand how the person in front of you reflects what you read. But at least they got into the room, and had the chance to convince you one way or the other. Some people, like me, are the other way around. My LinkedIn profile and my resume are kind of a mess, but people who know me are happy to recommend me and hire me. So how do I get in the room? Simple answer - my network.

Why Am I "Bad On Paper"?

Some people are bad on paper because they just don't put in the effort. They haven't spent the time to create a professional looking resume or profile. Those people aren't really doing themselves any favors, and the fact that they aren't getting good results shouldn't be so surprising.

But that's not me. In my case, I have done so many different things in my career, and I have gone back and forth between different things. I have been an individual contributor, a manager, and a VP, but I was also a consultant, and I am also now an investor and an advisor. When recruiters or other similar people look at my profile, they don't know what bucket to put me in. They look at my recent activities and decide that maybe that's the direction I want to go in now.

I have changed directions multiple times, so maybe if the right opportunity came, I might change again. Recruiters are great at finding you the next step on the ladder, or something similar to what you have now, just somewhere else. If that's not what you want or need, they just don't know what to do with you. Being confusing is one way you can be bad on paper, and I am certainly guilty of that.

How Does That Hurt?

The biggest problem with being bad on paper is that people don't reach out and discover how great you are. Anyone who is using LinkedIn or some other search engine, or seeing your resume in a stack from Monster or Indeed, is more likely to pass you by because you just don't stand out. As a result, a lot of opportunities that you might really excel at simply won't come your way. A hiring manager looking at resumes for a role might get dozens of resumes a day. In my experience, this is their least favorite activity, so they try not to spend a lot of time on it. You might get 30 seconds to make an impression on paper. And if you are bad on paper, your chances are pretty slim for getting that call or interview.

I understand this well, because I have been on both sides. As a hiring manager, I have passed over people who look like me on paper because I couldn't clearly tell that they were right for the role, or that they would even want it. But I also understand that by doing this, I was possibly passing on some amazing people. I have also hired people who I ended up meeting for one reason or another, but who would objectively have never made it past my screening if I only saw them on a resume or a profile.

In the same way, the further I get in my career, the more different types of roles I could potentially fill. But because my profile is so diverse and messy, I am in the situation that I might be a great fit for a number of roles, but not the standout fit for any. So I don't typically get a lot of cold calls from recruiters and others. Fortunately for me, I have other ways of opportunities coming to me.

How Do I Get In The Room?

My entire career has been an exercise in the power of the network. From the first day that I started at Cisco, I have told people that my goal was to meet the people I would eventually start a company with. Life took a few unexpected turns and it has taken me a longer time than expected to get here, but I have always understood the value of collecting the right people in your circle.

As I have moved from one role to another throughout my career, it has almost always been through a connection. While I don't have recruiters calling me regularly, I do very often have conversations with colleagues and friends about what is going on in their companies, or whether they are starting something new, or know somebody who is. Outside of my direct career progression, my interest and opportunities in angel and venture investing were brought by friends and colleagues.

And how do those conversations happen? A few key ingredients. First, I am good at keeping my network healthy and active. I reach out and make sure that I am staying in touch, and that I am up-to-date on what is going on with the key people in my network. I know what they are working on, and what they need. I try to find ways in which I can help them. They know that if they need something, they can and should reach out, and that I am a willing resource. It is definitely better to give than to receive. And I let them know what I am thinking about and interested in, and how I am feeling about being open to opportunities and what might interest me. This keeps me top-of-mind when those things do come up, and makes them more likely to reach out and invite me into the room.

What Do I Mean By "Good In Person"?

This one is harder to describe. It often comes down to an energy or a vibe. As I mentioned, I like to give more than I receive, so in these early conversations, I try to identify what I can give.

Are they looking for my opinions or feedback? I try to stay well-informed and up-to-date on technology, the industry, etc. so that I can be conversant on any recent topics and offer informed opinions. Are they looking for how I would solve a problem or how I can help them? I try to figure out if there is something I can offer to move the ball forward in some way, either a particular action or a connection.

I want them to know that I am looking to contribute even before I am a part of the team. I try to make it clear that if I join, I already consider their mission to be my mission. That shows alignment and willingness, which are both ways to be "good in person".

I want the other person coming away from the interaction looking forward to the next interaction, and wanting me in their orbit. Even if they don't have the right role for me now, I want them to be thinking about me in the future. And the key here is that sometimes, because this is so subjective, there are things I can do to put my thumb on the scales, and improve my chances.

Some people are naturally able to walk into any room and captivate an audience. They have charisma, positive energy, and confidence. They can make anyone feel comfortable with them, and establish rapport right away. If they are good at convincing people and making connections, those people are often great at sales or marketing or business development roles. If you are one of those people, you will automatically start out ahead of the game. Unfortunately, this isn't me, but fortunately for me, there are some things I can do to help me be more comfortable, and come off better in the interaction.

Tipping the Scales

This is where my network again comes into play. First, if I came to be in this room because of a warm referral, the person I am talking to is already more inclined to give me the benefit of the doubt, and that already starts me on the right foot. A friendly audience can really make the interaction much easier.

Another way your champion can help is to tell me, up front, who I'm meeting, and what they might be looking for, so I am prepared to show that right away, rather than having to discover in the conversation. Having that "insider knowledge" can help me to portray the aspects of my personality or qualifications that more closely mirror what they are looking for. The goal here isn't to be disingenuous or to lie to portray myself as something other than what I am. It is simply to show that I understand what is important to the other person, and I have value to bring.

Conclusion

If you are the kind of person whose career arc tells a clear story, and that story is taking you where you need to go, that's awesome. But if not, that still doesn't mean that you are shut out from great opportunities. If you are really great at what you do, maybe you just need someone to have the opportunity to see that. And I have found that one of the most powerful ways to get that opportunity is through a warm introduction from a close colleague in your core network. That was one of the reasons that I built Prohana, to keep you connected to that core network so they are thinking of you when it matters. Those people know how amazing the real you can be, and they can open doors for you and give you that chance to shine that you might otherwise miss.