AM I MY RÉSUMÉ?
By now you would know that I run listening to musicals. Yesterday the song “Who am I anyway?” came blaring through my headphones. For those who don’t know the words, here they are –
Who am I anyway?
Am I my resume?
That is a picture of a person I don’t know.
What does he want from me?
What should I try to be?
So many faces all around, and here we go.
I need this job, oh G-d, I need this show.
Given I had been to a funeral the previous day where the eulogy was so captivating about a woman who was born in Bulgaria and via a chequered journey ended up living in Australia, this song more than hit a note. The woman, while dedicating herself to her husband, children and various charities, managed to master nine languages fluently and ended up working for a translating business in Australia. While sitting there listening to her story, I was reminded of a book I read by journalist turned author David Brooks.
In David Brooks’ book, The Road to Character, he shares his discovery of two sets of virtues –
1. The resume virtue and
2. The eulogy virtue.
“The résumé virtues are the skills you bring to the marketplace.
The eulogy virtues are the ones that are talked about at your funeral — whether you were kind, brave, honest or faithful. Were you capable of deep love?
We all know that the eulogy virtues are more important than the résumé ones. But our culture and our educational systems spend more time teaching the skills and strategies you need for career success than the qualities you need to radiate that sort of inner light. Many of us are clearer on how to build an external career than on how to build inner character”.
With the proliferation of the self-help movement and access to more information than ever of how to live a well examined life, it seems our fast-paced world is pushing leaders, employees and business owners to merely pay lip service to character, rather than focusing on it.
Short-termism and the pressure to produce can be managed with the virtues that are “eulogy worthy”.
Communicating with soul and leading with compassion are virtues that can be integrated in both your work and personal life.
The two do not need to be mutually exclusive.
Whether you are mid-career building your resume for future jobs or positions or presenting in a boardroom, try not to get distracted by the “disease to please” on a paper manifesto, but rather, dig deep and combine your already existing eulogy virtues.
“Our society exalts the résumé virtues, Brooks argues, but it overlooks the humbler eulogy virtues. Still, he writes, we know at our core that this second category of values is what matters more”
Whether you are in your twenties starting out in the workforce or well into your career, start with your “eulogy virtues” in mind.
Here are four ways you can bring “eulogy virtues”
into a resume built universe
Think about the energy you bring into a room. Ensure you are not transporting your burdens to those around you. Remember, both positive and negative energy is contagious. This will help you communicate with soulfulness and impact.
Check in with those around you to see how they are doing. Set up a system where support and connectivity makes your team feel valued. There is much evidence to support an increase in productivity where people feel heard, appreciated and seen.
Connect your world where you can. If you can help a graduating student get a job, a charity get funds or introduce a start up to a new customer, share your world. It makes a difference. Having contacts is a privilege. Make great things happen. Sharing your world is a gift that resonates beyond the day of connection.
Smile as you walk through the office or streets. Try this once and you’ll be surprised at the impact.
Your Small Act that is sure to have a Major Impact is to become aware of character traits you want to infect the world with and enjoy the prospect of living your “eulogy virtues” in the workplace.