Name it, there’s a name for a fear of that. These Greek-sounding terms make us afraid to even try to pronounce it. Or like a dreaded disease, it’s hard to even admit we suffer from it.
I have my own fears. C’mon admit it, you do too.
I meet businesspeople who are highly accomplished, yet stuck. Fearful. They perform well on the outside, yet live inwardly with dread of talking about themselves. As I often say, there’s a teacher, a parent, a clergy person in the back of our mind admonishing us for being “conceited,” “egocentric,” “stuck up;” based on your generation, choose the adjective.
I marvel at how they got to their success level without being able to tell their “why,” much less an adequate “who” and “what” makes them unique on their LinkedIn profiles.
Is it that they let others do their talking for them?
Or that they allow their accomplishments to tell their value?
Perhaps they see no need to market their brand?
Or realize they are a brand?
But shouldn’t we all take this opportunity, since we can say things about ourselves far better than others can! “Can” being the operative word.
But many just cannot. Or won’t.
So in seeking an expert, a perspective consultant, a hiring candidate, for a specific function, where do we turn for a better barometer of potential partners articulating their personal business brand marketing than LinkedIn?
But what if you do not know the prospect(s) personally, were not referred to them by a trusted colleague, or know next to nothing about them? How much time do you spend reading, and absorbing, their profile? In a few seconds’ time getting an initial impression, should you take the time to read more, or all, about them, or would you be inclined to go on to read about another person’s more interesting career success story, better articulated, better laid out, more visually attractive, watch their video and enjoy their multimedia richness?
Fear not candidates! Overcome your LinkedIn anxiety by facing it head-on.
You can, should, and must be more interesting on LinkedIn that you already are, and that paralysis of not wanting to get started will only keep you back, behind your competition, and referrers may hesitate to offer your name as a candidate to their network until you appear more suitable as a prospective partner.
Yes, there must be a term for “fear of not wanting to read someone’s profile on LinkedIn that is not fascinating.”
Genericalinkedinaphobia?
