Those who are able to market themselves and meet people in their industry are the ones who will ultimately receive promotions and leverage connections to secure new opportunities. Extroverts tend to be naturals at showcasing their accomplishments. For introverts, however, this process can be very draining and intimidating.
Nancy Ancowitz’s book Self-Promotion for Introverts: The Quiet Guide to Getting Ahead is a helpful resource for those who want to advance their career but aren’t comfortable talking about themselves and what they can offer an organization.
Ancowitz offers a number of tips for getting ahead in the world of work, including determining one’s strengths, evaluating all available avenues for self-promotion and choosing which options are the most doable, and stepping outside one’s comfort zone.
So what can you, as an introvert, do to promote yourself?
Determine Your Strengths
According to Ancowitz, identifying the qualities and skills you possess is one of the first steps in marketing yourself. What makes you unique? Start by cataloguing examples of things you’ve done well in your career. Determine how you achieved success and which tasks made you feel most comfortable in your own skin. These strengths and experiences are what make you desirable to an organization or a potential boss.
Ancowitz points out that introverts should not compare their abilities to those of extroverts. The two types are inherently different; what comes naturally to one will not necessarily be easy for the other. The strengths many introverts possess - excellent listening and research skills, as well as the tendency to think before they speak or act - are tools they can utilize to promote themselves.
The Marketing Plan
The key to executing a successful marketing plan is playing to your strengths. You are now aware of your skills and abilities, so the next step is drawing on what you’re good at to promote yourself. There are countless ways to present yourself and your work to the public, but as an introvert you have to identify which options you are most comfortable with.
Networking is one of the most important aspects of self-promotion. For those that prefer not to work a room full of strangers, networking can be done on a much smaller scale. Go to an event with someone you know who can introduce you to others and serve as a buffer for those uncomfortable first meetings. Breaking this often difficult situation into bite-sized pieces can help a great deal until you’re more at ease.
The growing social media phenomenon is another great way for introverts to promote themselves. You can reach a large number of people in a way that allows you to think about what you want to say before broadcasting your ideas. You have the opportunity to edit yourself and shape your thoughts. In this type of format, it is much easier to converse with strangers or be introduced to people via contacts already in your network.
Writing also serves as a useful platform for self-promotion. You can showcase your expertise through articles in local publications, web writing, or collaborative writing with others in your field.
Know your Audience
Before you can promote yourself, it’s important to figure out who you are selling yourself to. Are you looking for a new position? Are you starting your own business? Or are you promoting a cause you are passionate about?
Identify your target audience and what it is they want/need. Then you can tailor your skills and strengths to that group. It’s all about determining what you can do for others and what will ultimately fit the goals of both you and your audience.
Take a Calculated Risk
The final piece of the puzzle lies in your willingness to take a risk. Because introverts tend to be more reflective and feel more comfortable with the inner world of thoughts and ideas, it can be a daunting task to project their “product” to the outer world. But in order to get ahead, those ideas have to make it into the public domain.
Networking and marketing yourself is a lot easier if you are passionate about what you are promoting. When you are excited about using your skills and working in your element, the rest pretty much falls into place. It’s just a matter of finding marketing tools that you can utilize even if they are a little bit outside of your comfort zone.
Although self-promotion may not be at the top of the list of desired activities for introverts, getting ahead necessitates it. Introverts are competing in a world full of extroverts who have no qualms about sharing their ideas. The upside is that introverts can draw on their strengths to network and market themselves in a way that’s both palatable and effective.
Christine Mosnik - In my current position with a Human Resource Consulting firm, I write job-related articles for newsletters that reach both candidates and ...
