Are you in your own way?

In Sheryl Sandberg's "Lean In," she discusses a study that was conducted by HP that showed women wait until they are 100% qualified for a job before applying, while their male counterparts apply if they meet 60% of the job requirements.

There have since been additional articles and case studies conducted to validate whether this problem spans industries and all types of organizations.

Even with the jury still out, I think it's worth exploring the reasons why some women(and men) do not go for opportunities out of fear of not being "good enough." After all, doesn't almost every job require some type of learning or training before someone can really be effective in it?

In short, let's make sure you aren't selling yourself short when it comes to advancing in your career. Here are some questions to consider as you decide whether or not to go for a new opportunity:

1. Does it excite you and align with your values?
2. Are you willing to learn what you don't know?
3. Will you grow your skills and impact with this new role or opportunity?

Chances are that if you answered yes to each of these three questions, you MUST put your name in for consideration.

What's the worst that can happen?

If you are not selected for the role, it was still an opportunity to meet people in an area of interest, who may think of you for other roles in the future. They also can provide feedback on what skills or experience you should gain to become more qualified.

If you ARE selected, well, you can be proud that you advocated for yourself and moved your career forward while doing it.

Happy Advocating!

Ashley