#48 How to Un-Pigeonhole Yourself
Unboxing yourself isn’t easy, but it’s essential for personal and professional growth.
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How to Un-Pigeonhole Yourself
I recently caught up with a former colleague of mine, who’s still with my old company and has been following my laid off life journey through this newsletter.
"I had no idea you could even write," they said.
Of course, this was meant as a compliment, and I took it as such. But it also stirred a sense of annoyance—not at my colleague for recognizing a talent I hadn't regularly been able to showcase, but at myself for allowing that talent to be hidden in the first place. Writing is so essential to who I am, it seems unconceivable that I could allow it to go unnoticed for so many years.
That's the paradox of holding a high-level job in a large corporation. The longer you stay, the more you become synonymous with your title and responsibilities. You get comfortably nestled in a box, and escaping it becomes a Herculean task.
It's not just your colleagues who see you in a limited light—potential employers do too. But the worst part? When YOU start believing in those limitations.
In an ultra-competitive job market, sadly, you’re reduced to a set of job titles and skills. When applying for jobs, I noticed that recruiters and hiring managers were often dubious if the job I applied for wasn’t an exact match to my last role. And if it was a role I'd done, but not recently, they questioned why I wanted to “take a step back” after conquering “bigger and better” horizons. Because I’m rerouting my GPS for success, I wanted to scream.
I get it. As a manager, you want to hire someone who can hit the ground running with minimal hand-holding. But disqualifying candidates because they don’t tick every single box shows a real lack of imagination. Companies are like snowflakes—each one is unique. Even if a candidate does match EVERY. SINGLE. REQUIREMENT., there’s still going to be a steep learning curve. It’s unavoidable. That’s why being pigeonholed is so frustrating. You have many talents! You are adaptable! You can kick that job’s ass!
So, how do you shift the way people, especially potential employers, see you, your skills, and experience? Here are a few things I’ve been doing to free myself from the box:
Share Your Story: Got a LinkedIn (or other social media) account gathering dust? Use social media platforms—or even start a newsletter like this one—to share your journey and insights. Highlight the skills and experiences that don't fit neatly into your old job description. Show the full scope of yourself as a human. IMO, storytelling is the most powerful way to reshape how people perceive you. Own your narrative, baby!
Do Freelance, Consulting, and Volunteer Work: Flex your hidden muscles by diving into gigs and situations that let you show off your versatility. Whether it's freelance work, consulting, or volunteer projects, these experiences can spotlight or sharpen skills people didn’t even know you had. Plus, they make for great conversation topics as you reshape your narrative. (See #1.)
A New Kind of Networking: Expand your network beyond your industry, or reinvent yourself within your existing network. Attend events, hit up conferences, join groups, and connect with professionals in fields that intrigue you. When you talk about what you do—and what you want to do—ditch the resume bullet points and tell your story in a way that people can connect with.
Keep Learning: Invest in your own growth. Take courses, experiment with new tools, earn certifications, and stay in the loop with industry trends. Sure, it makes you more appealing to potential employers, but more importantly, it keeps you engaged and passionate about your field.
Unboxing yourself isn’t easy, but it’s essential for personal and professional growth because you are a pigeon of many talents and you don’t deserve to be put in a hole. By showcasing your full range of gifts and taking control of your own narrative, slowly, you can redefine how others see you—and more importantly, how you see yourself.
Gems From My DMs
The best stuff people sent me.
Winning is letting meeting fury fuel you to write a best seller //The most important things to believe in// They say dress for the job you want//Meet Wild Thang, the world’s ugliest dog// Make a mistake today? NBD// This is an excellent application of AI// Circling back on remote work// Presented without caption//Current mood//
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