Whether you currently have a job or you’re job hunting, when
it comes to your career you’ll do well to get comfortable with self-advocating—in
other words, promoting yourself. If talking about yourself seems in poor taste
or if you are an introvert, being your own advocate may seem difficult at
first. However, it’s an important step in furthering your career, landing a job
or promotion, or even just selling ideas to management or clients.
The best way to get comfortable with self-advocating is through
preparation and practice. For example, if you’re interviewing for a job,
research the job and company to understand how your skills and experience match
the job requirements. Practice
delivering your elevator pitch and get comfortable sharing examples of your achievements,
such as how you solved a problem that resulted in a savings for an employer.
When promoting your ideas, know your audience and what is
important to them professionally. State
your purpose up front, and be succinct and specific in sharing key points and
benefits. Use logic to appeal to your
audience and frame things in terms of “what’s in it for them.” Additionally, anticipate and identify ways to
productively counter your audience’s objections, if necessary.
In addition to promoting yourself, the following are
also good rules of thumb to follow for a successful career:
- Maintain a professional reputation for being dependable
and trustworthy
- Establish and continue to grow your professional network
- Seek opportunities for professional development and
learning
- Actively participate at meetings
- Be a team player
