(c) iStockPhoto/ayzek

In May, I took the two week course taught by Nancy Ancowitz on Self-Promotion for Introverts at New York University. I had heard Nancy speak on the topic in March as well which is why I decided to take her course. Seminars are great but I like taking longer classes as they give me the opportunity to spend more time on a topic, do more research and ask more questions after I’ve had time to think about the material.
Success is something most of us hope to achieve but without self-promotion we will most likely not achieve our true potential. As an introvert I know there is nothing I hate more than listening to someone brag about their accomplishments. It’s boring and obnoxious which is probably why most introverts hate self-promotion. We are under the misguided notion that self-promotion equals bragging.

It doesn’t.

Self-promotion is a dialogue not a monologue. Most bragging tends to be a monologue of one person trying to impress the other with his/her accomplishments. In most cases they aren’t interested in the other person at all and are dominating the conversation. Trying to sell themselves by any means necessary. Most people hate bragging.

(c) iStockPhoto/robynmac

Self-promotion is about being authentic, creating a dialogue, stating the facts without embellishment and creating connections. To do it well you must know what is holding you back from effective self-promotion. You must understand what makes you unique – your strengths and weakness, even your quirks.

It’s not about selling your soul to the highest bidder. It is about figuring out what you offer the world and letting the world know that you exist. Most people right or wrong prefer to work with people they like. Find out why people have hired you in the past or why they did for your current position. You can use that information in promoting yourself. Figure out what makes you great at your job.

I know there are parts of my job I love and there are others I hate so much I’d rather go to the dentist.

Being a visual learner I created a mindmap of the “Self-Promotion for Introverts” class recently. It contains what I felt were some important take aways. If you want to learn more you can take Nancy’s class in October, read her book – Self-Promotion for Introverts: The Quiet Guide to Getting Ahead or checkout her blog.

Download Self-promotion for Introverts Class Mindmap