When you can't hear your own voice.

Finding and using your voice to build your UVP.

Everyone has a story to tell and insights that are uniquely theirs. But translating those experiences into a compelling Unique Value Proposition (UVP) requires finding your authentic, professional voice. Here's how to develop both, keeping in mind I’m still, to this day, searching for mine.

Understanding your voice

Your professional voice isn't only how you write or speak. It’s the lens through which you view your industry, role, career, and life. It's shaped by:

• Your specific journey and experiences that others don't share

• The problems you've solved that continue to fascinate you

• Your unpopular opinions that you've validated through experience

• The questions you keep returning to throughout your career

When I work with AI or technical talent, or now that I think of it, really anyone, I've noticed those with the strongest professional voices aren't necessarily the most technically astute. It doesn’t have a lot to do with that. It’s really about the ones who can articulate how their unique perspective shapes their approach to problems.

Practical exercises for finding your voice

1. The contradiction exercise: What two seemingly contradictory things are true about you? Your ability to hold two disparate truths together might be part of your voice.

   

2. The consistent thread: Look back at projects you've most enjoyed. What common elements appear across seemingly different parts of your work?

3. The natural teacher: What do you find yourself repeatedly explaining to others? The concepts you naturally evangelize show your voice.

4. The frustration inquiry: What annoys you about how others approach your work? Your irritations often point to your unique perspective.

Your strongest professional voice often emerges at the intersection of what you know, what you care about, and what the market needs. When these three elements align, your UVP becomes both authentic and valuable.

From voice to unique value proposition (UVP)

Once you understand your voice, transforming it into a UVP requires a few things.

1. Identify your intersections: What unusual combination of skills, experiences or perspectives do you bring? The most compelling UVPs often emerge from unexpected combinations such as the technical leader with psychology training, the developer with supply chain experience.

2. Articulate your "because": Complete this sentence: "I approach [common problem] differently because _______." That "because" statement often contains the seed of your UVP.

3. Identify your natural audience: Who naturally responds to your perspective? Sometimes your strongest UVP isn't for everyone, but for a specific subset of folks who deeply value your particular angle. I recently started writing (on Substack) and let me tell you, just when you think you’ve got your voice nailed, you discover yet another component. Something that excites you to talk. As an introvert, that is a lot. But that’s how the discovery process works.

4. Test and refine: Share your developing voice in low-stakes environments. Which points resonate? What questions generate the most interesting conversations? What expressions seem to hit it off? What do you get head nods and lean-ins from you audience? It’s a way to feel yourself tapping into your voice and UVP.

Where do you use both?

Your authentic voice and UVP should infuse, to be used, well, everywhere including:

• Your resume, cover letters

• LinkedIn profile and posts

• How you frame your experience in interviews and resume

• The projects you choose to progress and highlight

• The way you contribute in meetings

• The thought leadership you develop

Remember that developing your voice isn't about manufacturing something new.

It’s more about articulating something that's already there. It’s who you are, and what you believe that makes you passionate about life, the things you hold true. Tapping into it.

The most compelling UVPs don't sound like marketing. They sound like a fascinating person sharing what they've learned, often about themselves.

I think your authentic voice is always there if you listen carefully and block out the noise that often drowns it out. Please let me know how this works for you.

What are other ways you’ve discovered you own authentic voice?

Like what you read? Please like, subscribe and share with a friend who could use a voice lesson!

I’m Ken, part coach, part recruiter, part entrepreneur, and big tech / AI geek. Founder of Persel Group Hiring Advisors.