No, it’s not some kind of leery threesome. The third person is that ‘other you’, the one you can talk about without it seeming like you’re tooting your own horn. And why is he/she so valuable?

When in business, you need some kind of corporate profile, something that tells others what you’re about, what you sell or what an expert you are in  your field. For instance, if someone is considering doing business with you, they will likely Google you and see what kind of information can be drummed up. Yet many people feel a distinct discomfort in talking about themselves.

That’s where the Third Person comes into play. Think back to grade four grammar. “I” is known as ‘the first person’, “you” is ‘the second person’ and “they” is ‘the third person’. When describing yourself in the third person, you’ll find you can go into greater detail about your accomplishments, skills and experience. Consider the following examples:

“I am an award-winning journalist who is trusted by dozens of sources in the political arena to receive inside information on the latest issues.” Seriously, who would actually trust a person who gloats about their access to parliamentary secrets?

Yet imagine a corporate profile written in the third person, as follows:

“Jane Doe is a multi award-winning journalist whose experience across politics and media have earned her the respect of her peers and the politicians about whom she writes.”

A third person profile lends itself to far more self-promotional opportunities because, in essence, it’s as though someone else is recognising the person’s attributes. Not only is it more comfortable to hand around a profile written in the third person but it’s also a more acceptable format for others to receive.

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