Every step of a job search calls for bragging. Let me repeat that: every major piece of a job search – from cover letters and resumes to Linkedin profiles, interviews and networking – is an opportunity to brag.
Are you seizing every opportunity?
I doubt it. Especially if the idea of bragging makes you uncomfortable.
We could write books about why bragging is difficult (and plenty of people have) but let’s not get into the why not. Let’s talk about the why to do it and how to do it.
You have to take credit for your contribution to successes in the workplace. If you don’t speak on behalf of yourself, who will???
- You and only you know all the hard work you’ve done.
- You know the strategies you’ve evaluated.
- You know the nuances of a project.
- You know the challenges that were overcome to get to a positive outcome.
In fact, the more you delve into what you worked through and what you contributed, the more likely you will inhabit the posture of success. Yes, you will experience a feeling in your bones and cells that knows “I did this” that says, “I own this skillset and these achievements”. Mine. My doing. Mine. Stated with the upright posture and conviction it deserves.
I want to offer a simple, gentle starting place for getting comfortable with bragging, and I want to offer a challenge.
The starting place is I statements. You should have a lot of them!
For example- I was responsible for … I led the project that … I organized … I developed …
I statements, ideally with strong action verbs*.
Every one of those statements can easily be followed with a great example or story.
Here is the challenge: Create a file called “I did it”. Keep a running list of the things you have done no matter how small or big. Write in that list every day. Read the list over. Look at what’s on that list. Eventually you will get comfortable with saying “I did it” and transferring items on that list onto your job search materials and out loud. It takes practice, especially if you are uncomfortable with what you call bragging. I call it owning your contributions, claiming your strengths and taking credit where credit is due.
It starts with you. Get into the I did it practice.
*For an amazing list of action verbs covering many professions, contact lparadise.coach@gmail.com
This is the first in a series about bragging from career coach Laura Paradise. I know that getting an authentic brag gets people hired and boosts self-confidence. My clients do too!