WPM
Executive bios are a dime a dozen. Like instant cake mix, you add a couple of ingredients, some water, and stir until the lumps (or time lapses between jobs) fade into a silky smooth consistency. But I recently stumbled upon an ingredient I haven’t seen for a long time called “WPM.”
No, I’m not talking about weapons of plausible meaningless. I’m talking about words per minute. When was the last time you saw a resume with “50+ WPM” listed as a special skill? I reckon it’s been a long time.
I’m pretty sure that most corporate executives can type at a clip of at least 50+ WPM. But does it really matter? Should the C-suite disclose special skills like WPM in their bios? Perhaps, but only if they’re typing at Guinness-book levels.
&Nbsp;
I do think it’s OK to disclose interesting factoids. For example, if a CEO plays cello, has a knack for fine art, or is a connoisseur of kishke, I say go ahead, add a little color to perk up those staid, old bios. But WPM is a different story. Unless you’re measuring the Width of your Profit Margins.
— Evan Pondel, Senior Associate, epondel@pondel.com
