Tomorrow, I am scheduled to volunteer at an event in Lowell. I will be joining a number of other company veterans at the event. We will address a group of other veterans who are just beginning their transition to civilian work life.
One of the hardest things to learn coming out of the military was the concept of self-promotion. Much of military life involves team activities. The team matters far more than the individual. Each person is expected to do their job so that the entire group can advance. In civilian life, there are many times when you will also have to work on a team. In order to get to that point, though, you first have to be hired! Job interviews are really about trying to position yourself as a key contributor (as opposed to just another team member).
This article from Inc. gives one person's opinion. It says that you should never describe yourself using the ten terms provided in the article. To be honest, I don't agree fully with each of them. That said, there are legitimate points raised about trying to stay away from the obvious and succinctly making your case for why you should be hired. There is a fine line between effective self-promotion and just being a bit full of yourself.
Here are some of my favorites from the article:
"Motivated."
Check out Chris Rock's response (not safe for work or the politically correct) to people who say they take care of their kids. Then substitute the word "motivated." Never take credit for things you are supposed to do--or be.
"Authority."
If you have to say you're an authority, you aren't. Show your expertise instead. "Presenter at SXSW" or "Delivered TED Talk at Long Beach 2010" indicates a level of authority. Unless you can prove it, "social media marketing authority" just means you spend a ton of time on Twitter.
"Innovative."
Most companies claim to be innovative. Most people claim to be innovative. Most are not. (I'm not.) That's okay, because innovation isn't a requirement for success.
If you are innovative, don't say it. Prove it. Describe the products you've developed. Describe the processes you've modified. Give us something real so your innovation is unspoken but evident... which is always the best kind of evident to be.
"Creative."
See particular words often enough and they no longer make an impact. "Creative" is one of them. (Go to LinkedIn and check out some profiles; "creative" will appear in the majority.)
"Creative" is just one example. Others include extensive, effective, proven, dynamic, influential, team player, collaborative... some of those terms truly may describe you, but since they're also being used to describe everyone else they've lost their impact.
Here is the link to the full article: 10 Ways You Should Never Describe Yourself | Inc.com
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