Introverts: How To Self-Promote Proactively
I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it.
Your work does not speak for itself.
While there are those who have mastered the art of self-promotion, for a good many of us introverts it doesn’t come naturally. And what got you to your current career position is unlikely to be enough to move you to your next.
The job market is a crazy place to be right now. Akin to the dating world, (although I haven’t done that for some time), ghosting seems to be the norm along with commoditising people. It’s ruthless out there. So if you want to progress in your career and you haven’t been intentionally self-promoting, you need to up your game.
If you’re an introvert who prefers to be more understated when it comes to self-promotion stay right here because we’re diving into the ‘what’ and the ‘how’.
Network Strategically — Build Relationships Selectively
Your net worth is your network — but networking events can be draining for introverts, all that stimulation sends our dopamine receptors into overdrive.
What you can do instead is leverage your natural inclination for deep and meaningful one-on-one conversation.
Identify some key players inside or outside of your organisation. People who are more senior than you, well connected and respected. Ask yourself, what do you admire about them? Next, connect with these hand picked people, tell them why you admire them, why you would like to connect with them and how you can make a difference to their world. Ask them for a 15 min coffee chat.
Start building your network this way. Not only will this give you greater visibility, they may also help you develop professionally.
Have a Strong Personal Brand — And Live It
What are your professional strengths and values? When I’m talking about values I don’t mean those superficial aspirational values that everybody aims for. Sure, we all want to act with integrity and like to think we’re good, honest people. I mean what is it at the core of you that drives your behaviours and your decisions. If you don’t know then hire a coach who’s been trained to elicit core values.
When you have your strengths and values nailed you can set about defining your personal brand. Your brand is what you stand for, how you show up and what people can expect of you. Ask yourself, what do you want people to say about you when you’re not in the room? Then you must live and breathe this brand — everywhere you go, in everything you do, make sure your brand is reflected consistently.
Having a strong personal brand will help you with your visibility. It will help you grow your network and attract opportunities.
Be a Mentor — Get Known for Your Strengths
Offer to mentor new recruits, interns, or coworkers with less experience than you. Mentoring gives you the opportunity to share your specialised knowledge and skills on topics you excel at. It can also be a great reminder of the unique value you provide. And if you’re in need, a bit of a confidence boost too!
As your mentees learn from you, they will naturally spread the word about your expertise, leading to new connections and opportunities.
Find Sponsors — People to Advocate for You
Seek out well respected leaders in your industry. Once you’ve established a rapport and built the relationship to a point where they’re invested in your success, they’ll open doors for you, help you grow your network and sponsor you for projects or promotions.
Make the effort to keep your sponsor regularly updated on your accomplishments so they can advocate for you when key decisions are being made.
Get a Coach or Mentor
Hire either a trained career coach or informal mentor. If this is an option for you spend some time getting really clear about what you’re looking for. A mentor is an expert who will provide advice and guidance based on his or her own experience. They’re likely to give you frank feedback and advice, and the mentoring relationship can often be longer than the coaching relationship.
The coaching process is very different. A coaches will work with you in a thought-provoking and creative process, one that will inspire you to maximise your personal and professional potential. In an unregulated industry it’s important to choose wisely so look for coaches accredited by a professional body and don’t be frightened to speak to one or even a few before you make a decision. We expect nothing less.
Having one or both of these in place can significantly help you set out your strategy for increasing your visibility, boost your executive presence and highlight your readiness for advancement.
Keep a Record of Achievements
Maintain an ongoing record that captures your major projects, accomplishments, client feedback and other evidence of the value you bring.
I suggest doing this weekly so you get into the habit of doing it while your achievements are fresh in your mind. Practice speaking this out loud because this will help you speak more naturally when opportunities to showcase expertise arise.
Prepare for Performance Reviews
Most introverts are comfortable in a one-to-one meeting setting. So take advantage of this and own this process. It’s not just about preparing for them, it’s about proactively making sure they happen. If you want your manager to know you inside and out, and advocate for you then you have a responsibility to make sure they’re well informed.
Decide what frequency you want to meet with your manager and get the time booked in advance. Set the agenda yourself, and guide the conversation by walking them through what you have achieved and how you delivered. What challenges did you face and how did you overcome those challenges? Give real-time examples that are current and have meaning. You must own this narrative.
Being proactive about self-promotion as an introvert requires some extra effort. It requires you to be intentional about it because it doesn’t come naturally. But by playing to your natural strengths — like strategic relationship building, mentoring, and achievement tracking — you can get recognised and rewarded for the amazing work you do.
When you break it down all you’re trying to do is show people that you’re a smart, credible and capable person. So, is it really bragging if it’s based on facts?
I work with female introverts in tech sales to help them become visible so they can get promoted.
If you’d like to talk to me about your career advancement you can book a call here.
Why not join my new Facebook group for introverted executives and quiet professionals. A space to unite with fellow introverts, share your challenges and get fantastic support.
