THE BEECHMONT CREST CAREER GUIDE:
SURVIVING AND THRIVING IN THE CORPORATE JUNGLE
Chapter 3: Organize, Market, and Sell Yourself
Put aside your notions of modesty
“I am very humble, sir!”
-Uriah Heep (a character in David Copperfield, by Charle Dickens)
Sometime during the spring of my junior year in high school, my school’s guidance counselor visited each homeroom to tell us how to research and apply for scholarships. I can’t remember most of the details that he told us that day, but I do remember one thing he said--a statement of overwhelming truth:
“A competitive application process should not be an exercise in modesty. Give yourself as much credit as you can within the bounds of honesty.”
Although he didn’t use the term “marketing” that day, personal marketing was the process that he was describing. What is true for high school students seeking scholarships is true for you as a job applicant. If there are a hundred candidates vying for a particular job, then one of them is going to win and ninety-nine of them are going to lose. This is a competition. And under these intensely competitive circumstances, you need to take the advice of my high school guidance counselor, giving yourself as much credit as you can without straying into outright falsehoods.
If you experience any pangs of guilt as you shed your humbleness, remember that companies themselves display a similar lack of modesty when they market their products and services to consumers. When was the last time you saw a TV commercial that portrayed the company’s product in an unflattering light? And how many brochures list the top five reasons why you should buy from the firm’s competition?
Counterpoint: Be confident--not cocky
The absence of modesty is not the same as arrogance, carelessness, or a lack of respect for others. The non-modest approach described herein simply grants you permission to be your own advocate at all times. This includes the freedom from self-incrimination, or self-sabotage; you are not obliged to volunteer any information that might be disadvantageous to your cause.
Copyright 2006 Beechmont Crest Publishing