What is it you do anyway?

Six months ago I wrote a post the last time someone told me I was worthless because they had no understanding of what I did for a living. Not what they said, but what I heard. Six months later, here we still are: ChatGPT to the rescue.

You said:

I get (a lot) “What is it that you do again?” because I live in a Rust Belt state where no one understands anything but education, state government, manufacturing and healthcare, which is why the technical aspect of my career is always discounted as “computer stuff.” What is a good, succinct way to communicate my value proposition to people who don’t come from the worlds of consulting or big tech?

ChatGPT said:

Here’s a simple way to communicate your value proposition in a straightforward way:

“I help organizations use technology and strategy to work more effectively and stay competitive. Think of me as a guide who comes in to streamline complex projects, train teams to use modern tools like AI, and bring fresh insights that help them plan for the future. I’m focused on making sure teams and technology work together smoothly to reach their goals.”

This keeps it accessible without diving into the weeds of tech or consulting terminology. Let me know if you’d like to tailor it further!

You said:

That’s a good start. Can we add some “for example”s from my resume? “For example when I was at Amazon my role was to…”

ChatGPT said:

Absolutely, here’s a version with specific examples to help ground it:

“I help organizations use technology and strategy to work more effectively and stay competitive. Think of me as a guide who steps in to streamline complex projects, train teams to leverage modern tools like AI, and bring fresh insights that help them plan for the future. For example, when I was at Amazon, I led projects to streamline the integration of services with mobile carriers, helping expand Prime memberships to more customers. At General Motors, I helped the company transition from outsourced data management to a centralized, on-premise data center, allowing faster and more secure access to critical sales data across regions. My focus is always on making sure teams and technology work together smoothly to meet and exceed their goals.”

This includes key projects while keeping the language accessible for a general audience!

You said:

That’s solid and I’m storing it. Thank you. Something similar to this will make a good framework for cover letters and messages to recruiters.