Brag A Little – It’s Not a Bad Thing!

• Posted on Carolyn
• in Career
• on September 19, 2019
• Comments Off on Brag A Little – It’s Not a Bad Thing!

Brag a little. It’s not something most of us like to do, however sometimes you need to – you need to show how you stand out from the crowd.

College

When you apply to college (quite long ago for most of us, and then you go through it with your kids), your GPA & SAT scores only get you through the first cut. Then, you need to demonstrate what makes you unique. What can you show that differentiates you from the thousands of others who are applying? What classes did you take that challenged you? How did the classes/a teacher make you think differently? What activities have you participated in (not just been a member on paper) and what kind of impact did you have?

Promotions/Your Next Job

Now you’re in the ‘real world’ – who’s going to get the promotion or second job? The person who demonstrates the impact they’ve made. Keep notes. When it’s time for that performance review or interview you’ll be ready.

Resume coaches stress showcasing your accomplishments – not just where you’ve been, rather what you’ve done. Have you increased attendance, improved a process, raised awareness? If you can you quantify that, you move from boasting to showing tangible proof.

Awards

Not everyone wants them or feels deserving, but sometimes you need to toot your own horn!

For the upcoming prime-time TV awards, an actress nominated herself in a category (usually the network does that). She decided, “I did a damn good job and I would like to be recognized for it.” (Note: the awards have not been given out yet but I’m rooting for Brienne of Tarth!)

Closer to home (as I have no involvement in the TV world!), I’ve been working on an awards program for one of my professional associations. People could self-nominate or be nominated by others. Only one-third of the submissions were self-nominations. We couldn’t get more folks who should be shouting their accomplishments from the rooftops to ask for recognition! And, many of those who were nominated by their colleagues had a hard time filling in requested information as they hadn’t kept good records or kept their resumes/CVs updated.

You never know when you’re going to be called upon to share information about yourself – for that next job, for that next degree, or that lifetime achievement award. If you don’t keep track of that information (what you’ve done and the difference you’ve made), who else is going to do it? If you don’t do a little bragging about yourself (to help you stand out in a sea of sameness) who will? (except your mom, she always will!)