For some reason, the person you know the most about is also the one you struggle to describe to others. Strange, but true. The problem is that when you are working to reach your career goals, you have to be able to market yourself well, and you can’t effectively market what you can’t describe.
Today we’ll look at a valuable career tip for understanding yourself better. Have you ever heard your best friend or significant other or sister make a comment about you that blew you away? One of those moments where you were in awe at how well they articulated something that you hadn’t even realized about yourself, but was dead on? The fact is, the people closest to us see our skills and abilities from a different perspective, and consequently, they are able to describe us differently than we had thought to describe ourselves. So if you really want to understand yourself better, as well as get a fresh perspective on how to express who you are, ask your best friend/spouse/coworker/cousin/uncle.
Ask whoever is an important part of your life to tell you what they see in you. What do they think you do well? How do they see you benefiting an organization? Talk about the types of positions you’re pursuing. What do they believe you bring to that position? Talk to 3-4 people, or even more than that.
Take notes on what they say. See yourself through their eyes. Not only will you gain invaluable information for your career journey, but you will also see yourself through the eyes of someone else. You’ll come away with renewed confidence and a clearer picture of how to market your abilities.
And the next time you talk to someone you’d like to hire you, you’ll be able to express that you are exactly the person they’re looking for.