I began reading what started as a great blog post. The topic interested me, the writing was humorous and demonstrated expertise. I was settling in for a good read, but there was one major problem; this post was too long.*
When the scroll bar was only a third way down the page, I was wondering when this darn thing was going to end. So I scrolled down the rest of the way only to find out that, yes, my suspicion was correct, I was reading a novel on the topic of the résumé.
Sadly, I stopped reading this promising article.
My purpose today is not to write about the ideal length of a blog post. No, I’m writing about the importance of why brevity is important in your job search and at work.
Brevity in your written communications
Résumé
The debate over the
one- or two-page résumé has some merit. My answer to this one has always been, it depends. If you can write a one-page résumé that covers all your relevant accomplishments, do it.
Otherwise your two-page résumé has to be compelling enough for the reviewer to read. Often we’re in love with our own words, but this doesn’t mean others will, especially if what you write is superfluous.
LinkedIn profile
Thankfully
LinkedIn puts limits on characters for its profile sections. For example, you’re only allowed 2,000 characters for the About and Employment sections, 120 for your Headline, and other character limitations. This has caused me to think more carefully about what I write on my profile.
For everything you want to know about character limits, visit
Andy Foote’s article which addresses this topic in great detail.
Twitter
Jack Dorsey, the creator of
Twitter, had something going when he launched a social media application that allowed users to tweet only 140 characters (now 260). At first I was frustrated with the limitation—and I still think it’s too short—but I’ve since come to see the brilliance of this model.
The
twesume was created to make the hiring process quicker. One simply wrote a 140-character tweet with their résumé attached. If the recipient was drawn to the tweet, they would open the applicant’s résumé. Sadly, the twesume didn’t take hold.
Email
Don’t you hate
long e-mail messages? If you’re nodding in total agreement, you and I are on board with this one. The general rule is that if your e-mail to a supervisor or colleague exceeds two paragraphs, get your butt of your chair and go to his office.
A good rule of thumb is to write your brief message in the Subject Header, e.g.,
Meet for a marketing meeting at 2pm in the White room on Tuesday, 11/18. The body of the e-mail can contain the topics to be discussed.
Brevity in your verbal communications
Networking
Brevity is also important when you’re
networking. People generally like to be listened to, not talked at. Allow your networking partners to explain their situation and needs, and then try to come up with solutions.
Conversely, your networking partners should want to hear about you. On occasion you’ll come across people who don’t get the listening aspect and will
make your networking experience painful. Do people the favor of listening to what they have to say, and give your advice with concise answers.
Interviews
While in an interview is not a time when you want to ramble on about irrelevant details. Answer the questions as concisely as possible, while still demonstrating value. If the interviewer needs to know more, he’ll ask for clarification or deliver a follow-up question.
Many people have lost the job opportunity because they
talked too much. When I conduct mock interviews, I sometimes feel as though I’ll nod off and lose my concentration.
I’m not the only one who feels this way. People who’ve interviewed others will concur that long answers can be so painful that they’ll end the interview before asking the remaining questions.
At work
At work you must practice brevity when required. It’s said that extraverts tend to talk more than introverts, whereas introverts are better listeners. Try to be an
ambivert—a mixture of the two dichotomies. Apply the proper amount of listening and talking.
Keep this in mind when you’re speaking with your manager, as she is extremely busy. So state your business as clearly as possible and
listen carefully to her suggestions. The same applies to meetings. Don’t dominate them by interrupting and talking on too long.
I’m brought back to the blog post I couldn’t finish, which I’m sure is very good, because it was too long. It’s a shame I’ll never find out, and I wonder if those who provided comments actually read the whole post.
*Apparently the ideal length of a post is approximately 750 words. I’ve failed this rule by 52 words.
Related:
7 Wasted Networking Opportunities That Hurt Your Chances
