I recently started a discussion within different LinkedIn groups where I asked consultants, sales and marketing leaders how they were differentiating themselves from others in their industry. One consultant mentioned that her differentiation was defined by her extensive experience and her successful professional achievements, which contributed to the development of a variety of sectors.
But experience (no matter how extensive it may be) is not a differentiator. It's a credibility builder as it shows that you are qualified—but there are thousands of others who may also be qualified to help with my business needs.
Your years of experience doesn't tell me the unique business value that I will receive from your services or solutions. It doesn't show me your relevance to my needs now and that you understand my unique situation and have an alternative solution that I haven't already tried. Unless you've actually shown me on your LinkedIn profile that you have evolved and what your business value is now, I think that your approach and techniques may be old and outdated. Organizations are looking for new, fresh, young blood. So unless you demonstrate that you've evolved, your years of experience mean little to nothing.
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