Generally speaking, we don’t like it when people brag about themselves and their achievements. However, effectively promoting yourself at work does have a significant impact on your career progression.
If your boss and your colleagues don’t know about the great work you’re doing and how much you are achieving, are you likely to secure a promotion? No!
If you can master self-promotion at work, you’ll reap the benefits:
- Your colleagues will respect you highly
- People will come to you for your expertise
- Your boss will reward you
- Others will recommend and promote you too!
So, how do you promote yourself at work without sounding big-headed? Here are some opportunities where you can toot your horn.
1. Circulate relevant information
Have you found a new tool that could benefit the rest of your team? Have you read some industry news that others might be interested in?
Sharing new and vital information with your colleagues will make them see you as an expert and they will appreciate the tips. Such a small gesture could earn you some big recommendations in the future.
2. Talk about your achievements in relation to you
Highlighting that you’ve got better results than your colleagues isn’t going to go down well. This is because you’re indirectly putting others down.
If you want to show off your achievements, always compare your latest results to your previous results. If you say “This is the most revenue I’ve ever made in a quarter”, your team are much more likely to feel happy for you and to recognise your achievements.
3. Speak up
Wherever relevant you should always give your opinion in meetings. Even if you are in a meeting full of superiors, if you have something to share don’t be afraid to assert what you think. Good ideas will then be credited to you!
4. Be more innovative
Organisations are always looking for ways to improve their practices and procedures. If a problem occurs, can you solve it? Have you come up with a better way to perform a task? Share your new ideas and solutions and others will look up to you and recognise your value.
5. Help others
Be generous with your knowledge and expertise. If your co-worker has a dilemma or is unsure about how to handle a situation, offer your advice. If you help others, they will also want to help you in return.
6. Make the most of your performance review
Your performance review is like any other business meeting and as such you should attend it with a clear goal in mind; what do you want to get out of this review? Whether it be a pay rise, a promotion or simply showing your boss what a fantastic job you have been doing, you need to get your message across in the right way.
Every performance review is an opportunity to promote yourself, so be sure to talk about your strengths or accomplishments and always back every positive assertion with evidence or an example.
Bringing it all together
Self-promotion at work can be tricky to master. The line between promoting yourself effectively and coming across as too cocky is a fine one. Following these tips should keep you on the right side of it.
Still not getting anywhere? Change things up a little!
