You, Inc.: How to Promote Yourself – and Your Career – Without Sounding Arrogant

As one of the leading staffing services firms in Houston, TX, Murray Resources knows when it comes to career success, a little self-promotion can go a long away.

For many professionals, though, they don’t know how to toot their own horns without coming across as bragging ego-maniacs. But if you want to advance your career and get noticed by decisions makers, you need to demonstrate your worth.

To help you do it effectively and with grace, here are a few tips to put into action:

Don’t be afraid to share your success.

You shouldn’t feel fearful or dirty about sharing your achievements with your boss and higher ups at your company. And yet, finding the middle ground between coming across as arrogant and too humble is a challenge.

The key? Just to stick to the facts. When talking up your accomplishments, don’t use a lot of exaggerated language unless you want people to tune out. Cut to the key points instead. Talk about the accomplishment – what you did, how you did it, obstacles that were overcome – and the impact it made.

Keep track of your accomplishments.

Create a document where you list achievements big and small so you don’t forget any. Jot down an entry each time you achieve something new – whether it’s completing a large project ahead of schedule and under budget or receiving great feedback from a customer. Write down too why you think this achievement was important and how it contributes to the overall success of the team.

Use this log when you’re preparing for your performance reviews with your boss and also send him or her occasional progress emails with the good news (don’t badger them though with a constant barrage of emails). After all, your boss is not a mind reader; it’s up to you to inform him or her what you’re working on and the positive results you’re achieving.

Accept recognition gracefully.

Don’t ever belittle your achievement when someone recognizes your work. Instead, simply say “thank you.”

Only take credit for your work.

Don’t take credit for the work of others or work you completed in collaboration with others. Not only is it going to upset those you’re throwing under the bus, but it’s also going to undermine your credibility and reputation.

Recognize the accomplishments of others.

When you’re regularly praising others, and recognizing them for a job well done, it’s much easier to bring up and promote your own accomplishments. In addition, other people will be far more likely to offer you public praise when you consistently hand it out yourself, making it a win-win for all.

Ready to promote yourself to a new job? Call Murray Resources. As one of the leading staffing services firms in Houston, TX, we can assist you with the entire job search process – from crafting a strong resume to preparing for interviews to finding Houston job opportunities that are a great fit for your skills and background. Contact us today to get started.