We are told all our lives to work hard, keep our heads down, and try our best. If you listened, the chances are that you have landed a good job and have a comfortable life. While it is by no means a bad place to be, it leaves many asking the question – is this enough?
Nowadays, when the everyone is broadcasting their every action for all to see on the internet, those that don’t risk getting drowned out in the noise. You are right to be concerned about appearing narcissistic, but it isn’t bragging when you do something worthy of talking about.
Telling the world about yourself might make all the difference in getting your next promotion, your dream role or even further success for your own company. There are tasteful, humble ways to do this and in this article, I’ll go over a few methods you can try.
Online exposure
As more than half of the world’s population now use it, the most obvious way to promote yourself is on social media. To keep the lines from blurring, I suggest making professional profiles on your preferred platforms separate to your personal accounts. Some, such as LinkedIn, are made entirely with professional purposes in mind.
On these professional profiles, follow important figures in your industry, while also connecting with other people at the same stage of their careers as you. If you like their work, tell them about it! Similarly, if you have a question for them, it never hurts to just reach out and ask. They are called Social Networks for a reason – using them for networking is absolutely their intended purpose.
One or two years down the line, you may have amassed a following, or at the very least have made professional connections that could help you get your foot in the door at the company you’ve always dreamed of working for.
As many as 70% of hiring managers look at the social media profiles of their prospective employees, so making sure yours are already in top shape ensures you never have to worry about what a potential boss can learn about you online.
Why not go one step further and create your own website. It could be a blog to demonstrate your professional expertise, or simply a passion project to write about your favourite topic. There are over 600 million blogs out there, so you aren’t alone.
Another idea for a website is to create your own online resume or personal portfolio, which may really set you apart from the competition at your next job interview. Self-promotion will give you confidence. The more you recognise your own achievements, the more others will as well.
Start talking about yourself
When you get used to speaking about your achievements on social media, you can start bringing the practice into your real life as well. For example, if you came up with a new idea that increased sales by 5 per cent last month, or if you developed and implemented new company procedures, then tell others in your company.
Often teams at work do not intermingle and communication is very much locked inside your bubble. The chances are your boss would love to hear about the great work you are doing to improve the business.
This isn’t about bragging. It’s about getting the recognition you deserve for your achievements. If you don’t tell anyone, there will be no one to celebrate with.
Your business
If you’re self-employed or a key part of a brand-new startup, what I’ve already mentioned in this article is vital. It’s the key to making waves in any industry. Before potential business partners enter a meeting with you, there’s no doubt they will have looked you up online.
For this reason, you need to ensure the majority of information about you online is positive and that it portrays you as a credible businessperson. A study by a personal PR agency even found that 40% of the public would think negatively of a successful individual if they could not find information about them online.
If you are seen to be a successful entrepreneur, then people will want to do business with you. More than that, potential employees will be drawn to your company. Your accomplishments are magnetic, provided people actually know about them.
Whether it’s in business or your personal life, there is no use hiding. The sooner you get used to this, the better. Your first foray into self-promotion might feel nerve-wracking or even uncomfortable, but that’s normal. We live in an era of self-promotion, and if you don’t take steps like those mentioned, you risk falling behind everyone else.