I recently interviewed someone fairly senior for a client. This person had so many achievements on his cv and he went on a spree trying to explain everything in detail. I kept wishing throughout the interview that he would focus on one or two and be able to go deep into those.

When seeking to project an impression of accomplishment, we may be inclined to share everything we have ever done. All our experiences and skills seem to be relevant and important! This tendency stems from the belief that the quantity of percieved achievements directly correlates with their significance.

But more is not always better. Sometimes it is actually worse!

People judge us based on meaningful accomplishments, not the laundry list of what we have done. These days, in particular, most of us have terrible memories and fleeting attention spans. Sticking to one or two things that people can distinctly remember about us helps them recall us better.

Instead of listing every organisation you have worked with, focus on the more prominent ones that hold greater significance. Those well-known entities will become your reference points. Naturally, if an individual inquires about other experiences, you can readily share those as well.

Do not be concerned if you do not possess extraordinary achievements. You don’t have to have done jaw-dropping things! Its ok to be a normal person who has probably more to be proud of than you may realise yourself. Any aspect in your life that is intriguing, unexpected, or stimulates curiosity is appropriate to include but you need to exercise good judgement in what you want to share in detail.

The same applies to individuals who discuss their reference clients or customers with whom they have collaborated.

The next time you are debating whether to include and explain one of your achievements or hobbies, ask yourself; Would this increase the chance of people remembering me?

Worth thinking about 🤔