Do you add this tiny thing to your résumé? Please stop!
You never use this and then like a migrating bird, you turn to it...
Sitting in the Tropic Cinema in Key West, which is probably the best movie theatre in the world, it’s July, thighs are sweaty and the Tropic is a cool, dark heaven… Unlike your office after anyone makes microwave popcorn, the Tropic doesn’t smell like popcorn. It smells like cool.
So there I am in the little theatre, waiting for the lights to dim when my phone vibrates… a message from my friend, Maggie… You want butter? Large/small?🍿 I text back. No to the butter. Definitely large. I follow this with… M&Ms /Milkduds? The response: Both! Texting and slants go hand-in-hand like hot days and heading to the movies. 🍚 Rice? White/brown? 🚰 Water? Sparkling/flat? ☕️ Coffee? Regular/decaf? Am I right/wrong? Fusing two items with a "/" is a thing when you text. No problem. That’s between you and your bestie. Here’s where you don’t want the slant: your résumé. Look at your résumé right now… you’d probably see one. I’ll hold the M&Ms while you look. Go ahead. "When you work with someone, what’s the first thing you do?" A podcaster asked me that and I realized what I actually do first is so simple it gets missed and it’s crazy important, so here goes… I de-slant. Slants sprout up in résumés like weeds in a garden. Here’s the weird part. Most readers can’t point out why they get a bad vibe from the slant. Yet they see the two-word fusion slant on your résumé and the clap-o-meter drops to zero. #Swipeleft. Your slants say, "I can't choose, so I'm gonna fuse." Slant examples from real résumés: — Digital transformation/migration expert — Agreement/contract — Coding 101/CSS and HTML — Co-creator/Producer De-slanted: — Digital Transformation Expert — Agreement — CSS and HTML — Producer Instead of looking like the drunken union of a grammar book and a tackle box, it looks strong, self-assured, and confident! Here’s a tip: if two words aren’t worthy of "and" possibly "or," then leave one out! When someone reads “…Negotiated key agreements with vendors…” they’ll never know you had “agreement/contract.” Your slant-secret is safe with me! Slants are a hard “No.” You got this! Not because you’re smart/powerful! But because you’re smart and powerful. Like that. I ❤️ the Tropic🌴 but not the / Courtney
PS -Last week, I sent one of my most popular emails ever - see that here. And even though I always reply when people - like you🙌 - write to me, last week, there was trouble … My beloved MacBook went in the shop 🤯 I screwed up my email trying to transfer everything to an iPad. It was like cleaning out the drawer in the kitchen with the batteries, spare IKEA furniture parts, instruction manuals and other stuff you’re afraid to throw out … 🤯 🤯 That was me. It was ugly. Please know I haven't morphed into a non-responding email snob. It’s just that I'm having technology DTs from my MacBook dry-out period. I’m working from an iPad and struggling mightily. But I think I finally figured it out, so you can hit reply. I’m here. Keep your cards and letters coming.
PPS - If you like these emails, you got options: 1. Forward this email to a friend with an invitation to subscribe right here. 2. Work with me and get there faster. 3. Start with LinkedIn Profile Payday and get recruited. 4. Hit reply and say hello. 5. Hire me to speak. PPPS - Can’t turn off bold now. I can’t wait to get my MacBook back.