Everything to everyone 🩻 EBH
That always goes well, doesn't it?
I’m not here to shame, but part of this switch to daily emails is the chance to show some examples of work that works (or doesn’t). Today, we look at a startup trying to be everything to everyone.
The headline and the top half of this paragraph says, “we’re on a mission! This is what we value!”
The bottom half is all about innovation. Okay. A bit of a mish mash, but I’ve seen worse. So we scroll down…
Well, I’m glad their innovative ambitions has attracted brilliant world-class people (“world class” is a red flag for me signally outsized aspiration and no one reigning these claims to reality). And we have passion and purpose (mission focus). But then we turn into a challenger brand who is fearless and want big challenges, which says either a call for autonomy or status? I’m getting lost… We scroll…
Now I’m joining this place not for a mission, but because it grows my career. And while I appreciate the warning that this is a job that has very long hours, in service of what? A mission? Innovation? My own career? Don’t worry, at the bottom we introduce the opportunity to develop your skills. I’m officially lost. But we’re not done…
Or maybe what you want is status? We got that! Keep scrolling!
More notes about how this is good for my career, but now its a meritocracy?? How does a meritocracy work when you’re mission-driven? And to tell me you have no workplace politics??? Two people have a conversations and politics are there. But now I’m an owner, where I can get huge rewards, which means i’m here for money.
To be clear, we’re only halfway down their career page home!!!! By my lights they have tried to trigger every motivation I can think of, short of threatening that a puppy won’t get adopted if I don’t join. I’m exhausted. I don’t want to apply, I want to sit in a quiet corner with a cup of decaf and breathe in through my nose until I settle myself down.
This is a company with exactly zero employer brand focus. It slices! It dices! It makes perfect julienne fries! It will patch the holes in your upholstery and brightens your smile! If we wouldn’t believe so many various claims in a product, why on earth would be believe them in a life-altering choice of job?
I have no idea what this company really is, but as a stranger (which many of their prospects are going to be), it’s a mess of messages lacking clarity, which leads to a lack of credibility.
Pick a message or two and focus.
This example came up during the EVP Workshop last week. If you’re interested in learning how to develop your own focused and effective brand, learn more here.
***This Newsletter Contains No ChatGPT***
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