Here's a good rule when meeting someone new: don't just tell them what you do. Give them something interesting to ask you about.
Most people introduce themselves like they're reading their CV. Their job, company, maybe where they went to university. It's technically useful information, but not much of a conversation starter.
❌ Bad: "I'm a product manager at a fintech company. Before that I worked in consulting."
✅ Better: "I started out in consulting, but got tired of making recommendations and never seeing what happened to them. So I switched to building products instead."
The second version gives someone something to be curious about. Why did you switch? Was consulting really that bad? What are you building now?
Just one interesting detail about how you got where you are can make you much easier to connect with -- which is the key to building professional relationships!
And this applies online too. Think of your LinkedIn profile as an introduction to hundreds of people you haven't met yet. If all it tells them is where you've worked, you're making the same boring introduction, just in writing.
But what should you actually say instead?!
Get your Personal Brand Strategy →
It’s free and you’ll get a strategy for what to be known for and what to talk about. It's the kind of thing CEOs and celebrities pay brand strategists thousands to help them figure out.
