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THIS WEEK
Professional Profiles- Why It Is So Hard to Write About Yourself
ALSO IN THIS EDITION
| Copywriting: Professional Profiles - Why It Is So Hard to Write About Yourself |
If you have a website or blog, or consult with clients then you need a personal profile. A personal profile tells people about who you are, your expertise and experience and helps to create a human face to your business. Depending on your industry it can also help clients choose between particular consultants for a project or job, or create buzz and interest to hear you speak or buy your product.
It is also one of the hardest things to write - particularly if you are writing about yourself! Many profiles end up as a dry regurgitation of a career resume, with all of the personality removed from the process. Others end up sounding like you are a packet of soap powder with a set of steak knives thrown in with breathless "but wait there's more" style of writing. Still other personal profiles end up looking like a stand up comedy routine, except the audience isn't looking for a clown, they want to see the real you.
The best profiles are written from the heart, with enough details to allow people to connect with you as an individual. When written from the heart, good profiles will help you attract the customers and people who truly resonate with you and your message. Your personality will not overshadow the message you want to convey – but will highlight the core intent of you and your work.
 Why is it so hard? Personal and professional profiles are where you are declaring to the universe "This is me". It is where you are showing your best and most human face to your clients so they can resonate with who you are and where you have come from. It is a testament to your personal journey in life and business and many people are afraid their success will be judged and they will be found wanting.
Personal and professional profiles are an intensely private process and writing an effective profile can be as challenging as any personal growth exercise. It triggers every fear of waiting to be chosen for a team when you were a child and wanting desperately not to be the last one chosen.
Writing a profile triggers the same psychological reactions that we see in life with people hiding, obscuring or even denying parts of their personality or life. Some people hide their true personality with a mask of humour, or try and dazzle with a mask of glamour and excitement, still others fade into the wallpaper. When you write a profile yourself it is easy to deny, delete or distort your facts and not be aware of the mental block you are working around.
Some people want to put in every part of their life into their profiles – afraid that if they miss any detail that people won't "get" who they are. Have you ever been to a party or on public transport and strike up a conversation with someone who promptly tells you every intimate detail of their life. You are left slightly uneasy and often can't wait to get away from them. If your profile is too detailed you are doing the same thing as the intimate sharer of details.
Some people want to be short on content and high on hype of the type "Ms X is a dedicated career professional who goes the extra mile, dots every i and crosses every t. Whose stellar attention to detail has placed her as one of the most exceptional employees within this company". These sort of profiles are all fluff and no substance and are often a defence mechanism to stop people seeing the real person beneath the hype. They are best termed a "Paris Hilton" profile and people will treat you accordingly.
Others people want to skate over the personal stuff. To only focus on dry facts of their life as they only want people to judge them on their accomplishments. These people are often uncomfortable with their emotions and keep people at arm's length. The problem is people want to know more about the person they are working with and buying from, so just the facts will be as satisfying as a glass of water when they are hungry and they will go elsewhere.
Good personal profiles require deep self reflection, searching questions and careful crafting of your words. When writing a professional profile, often a couple of drafts are needed to allow you to discover who you are now and stretch your personal horizons of who you are becoming and who you like to work with.
You may find it more effective to work with someone who can guide you through the process, who can help you shine a light on your true personality and present it in a positive and heart focussed way.
Whichever way you tackle writing your personal and professional profile, be aware that it is not a simple process. That you will be bumping against your personality, that it may feel uncomfortable and tricky and that it may bring up "stuff" you would rather not deal with.
However, a great profile is a powerful beacon of light, attracting the right customers to you and to your message. Take the time to go through the process and you will gain great results.
Heart Harmony can help you create heart centred professional profiles. Call us on 07 3351 8844 to book your profile in today.
| HR Tip - Forward with Fairness Update |
Recently Julia Gillard introduced a Bill to dismantly the Workchoices legislation. In the 575 page document there are many significant changes that have been proposed to take effect from January 2010. This included abolition of AWAs and introduction of individual common law contracts with a no overall disadvantage test to ensure their fairness.
It also includes a minimum safety net of provisions for all employees earning under $100,000 including flexible work provisions for employees with children under school age. For employees over $100,000, they will now fall outside of the award system which also means no protection against unfair dismissal.
General unfair dismissal provisions have been totally revamped and small businesses must include a Fair Dismissal Code in their processes from 1 July 2009.
I would remind people that this is still a Bill at this stage - it has not yet been passed by Parliament and changes are still possible during the consultation phase. As soon as we get some certainty on the final legislation, the HR Policies and Procedures Manual will be updated and all current holders of the manual will receive a free copy of the updated manual.
Book of the Week - The Intention Experiment
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Every now and again I am asked about my favourite books. The Intention Experiment by Lynne McTaggart is a fascinating read and reviews dozens of scientific studies from around the world in the area of how our mind affects the environment around us.
It is written in a clear journalistic style and covers fascinating studies that indicate with different levels of statistical probability that thoughts actually do affect things.
The publisher is Free Press and the book was released in 2007 - it is certainly worth adding to your Christmas shopping list and reading over the holidays.
 
Personalised Wine Labels are a great last minute client gift idea from Wild Dog Designs (thanks Jo!)
Christmas is rapidly galloping towards us and if you have just realised you haven’t organised presents for your clients, Wild Dog Designs can organise professional personalised diecut wine labels in just a few days.
These are easy and simple Christmas corporate gifts. All you need to do is pop down to the local bottle shop and pick yourself up some nice clear skin wines. Add the labels and your Christmas corporate gift problems are solved... Easy!
You can put include a personalised message to your clients on the labels, and include your logo or even a photo of your staff for only $2.00 (+ GST) per label for printing. Print quantities start at just 10 labels.
Orders must be placed by Wednesday 10th December 2008.
Just email info@wilddogdesigns.com.au for more details.
In this post we look at some research of the difference in response rates you can achieve from a simple handwritten post-it note attached to a letter. Studies have shown a 75% improved rate from the addition of one of the sticky yellow notes with a handwritten note on it.
Business Growth Jobs to do in the Xmas Slow Down Period
exuberantly yours
Ingrid
Heart Harmony
PS: This week's Small Business Tips blog also included posts about
Age has nothing to do with success, Don't know what you've got till its gone, and Its easy to miss what you aren't looking for (and a great video to check out with this post!)
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