Promoting Yourself First

Once upon a time during the beginning of my recruiting career, I worked with a sales coach to not only teach me how to sell better (I was in charge of finding candidates to fill open jobs to clients), but to ensure I always created demand for what I did.

This coach kicked my butt and held me accountable.

He helped me move through my fears and hang-ups.

And there were many.

A great time was had by all. Ha!

But one thing he taught me was particularly valuable.

Something everyone can do.

And something everyone SHOULD do.

What am I talking about?

Promoting yourself first.

Ew.

I hear your reaction.

You know you thought this.

Promoting yourself is not in your nature. I know.

You feel like you're bragging.

You don't want people to think you're a self-centered.

You don't want your co-workers thinking you are taking credit for everything everyone else did.

I’m not talking about this from a financial point of view (although I believe that’s also much important).

Hear me out.

What if I told you promoting yourself first involves none of the tasks you think need to happen?

No bragging.

No self-centered narcissism.

No stealing credit from co-workers.

Nope - none of that.

Yes, I promise.

How do you start to promote yourself?

I'm going to answer this with creating some context first.

Whenever I work at a company, I ALWAYS did what my bosses wanted first.

In other words, no matter how much work my boss threw at me, I always ignored my needs and put his/hers needs first.

My coach dude told me to spend one hour each week writing down my wins from the prior week.

My first reaction was, "I don't need to do that, because my boss sees how good I am and I don't need to keep track of it. He/She is."

Well, they aren't.

And if you truly believe your boss is tracking it, it's always from their perspective and not from yours.

No one will value your career more than you do.

So give yourself this hour per week.

No matter what. Even if you are crazy happy in your job.

And ESPECIALLY if you are not happy in your job, do this. Yet this is the OPPOSITE of what most employees do.

Usually people spent all their energy and time into their boss's needs first, and then hope their boss will take care of them.

And then the boss doesn't in the way they expected, and BAM!

Instant resentment and burnout.

Big mistake.

Big, big, BIG mistake.

Always make promoting yourself your #1 priority.

Start writing your wins down each week, and then work on what your boss needs.

I’m not saying don't value what your boss needs.

I’m just saying to value promoting yourself first.

Hey, this tip may not be “sexy", but it’s the oxygen mask that will save your career when you least expect it.

The payoff is enormous.

Have great One,

Dagi