Are You Good at Your Job? If You Are, Then Are You Letting People Know?

How good are you at your job? If you believe you are really good at what you do for a living, how good are you at telling others how capable you are? I work with dozens of clients who have amazing skills, talents and experience, but virtually all of them have the same issue: They aren’t comfortable with telling anyone.

So often job seekers don’t think of the importance of the skills it takes to do their jobs. They do them as naturally as breathing. They go the office, they do their work, and they go home. What so many don’t realize is that each task performed takes skill, talent and experience. Each task has significance. It has to, or no one would be able to keep his/her job.

There’s a wonderful book that I recommend to virtually every client. It’s called BRAG! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It! by Peggy Klaus. In her book, Klaus talks about how to acknowledge your accomplishments and contributions and how to talk about them to people that can make a determination in your future: i.e., interviewers, networking contacts, your own boss, etc. This is a critical component in the 21st century job search.

Klaus refers to the myths that many of us probably grew up with, such as “a job well done speaks for itself” or “humility gets you noticed.” These are just two of seven myths that Klaus says hold us back and prevent us from telling people where we really shine.  

Think about it. If you’re job hunting or planning to change careers, making the assumption that your work will speak for itself will get you nowhere. If you can’t show and speak to your skills, talents or experience, those who can will be getting jobs—not you.

The “Take 12” Self-Evaluation in the book helps you recall where you’ve made an impact on your job. Take some time to complete it and then send me a comment to let me know what you’re really proud of accomplishing in your professional life.

NOTE: BRAG! was published in 2003, so it may not be in your local bookstore. You can find it online on www.amazon.com or www.bn.com. It’s available in paperback or audio, or you can download it on your smart phone. [FYI...I don't get any commission from this.]

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Regards,

Peg Titus-Hall, CPCC, PCC
coachpeg@peoplegrowthllc.com
www.peoplegrowthllc.com