“I would love to have that type of job, but no one would ever hire me for that.”
Have you ever felt like this? Maybe you’ve even said it out loud.
“I don’t have enough experience.”
“I’m not qualified.”
“I’m not as good as _______ (insert the name of a colleague you compare yourself to).”
If you’ve thought (or said) any of these, you are not alone. These are some of the most common themes I hear from people who come to me for advice on how to move forward in their career.
Believe me, I understand. I’ve had every one of those thoughts, and I know how paralyzing they can be. What I’ve discovered through my own career journey is that addressing these beliefs can transform your career by increasing your confidence—and your success.
What I’ve discovered through my own career journey is that addressing these beliefs can transform your career by increasing your confidence—and your success.
That’s why I’m sharing this with you—I want you to understand how much you have to offer, so that you can drown out the negative beliefs that are holding you back.
Your job-specific skills are not the only abilities that determine your success.
Let’s talk about the skills and abilities that you bring to each position you hold. These can be things you’ve learned or developed in many different settings—school, work (or life in general)—or they may be talents that come naturally to you.
What are you known for? Are you the person that people come to when they need a solution to a problem? Do you naturally step into tense situations and help to provide resolution? What are some of the main abilities that your supervisors and colleagues have praised you for throughout your career? What do people come to you for advice on?
What you’re capable of is often remarkable to the people around you, even if it seems effortless to you.
Remember that just because something seems very easy to you, that doesn’t mean it’s simple for everyone. It may be a huge challenge for many other people. Don’t minimize your natural talent! What you’re capable of is often remarkable to the people around you, even if it seems effortless to you.
If you feel stuck when it comes to identifying your abilities, you might need to take some time to ask your supporters what they believe are your biggest skills. Hearing another person’s perspective of what you have to offer can be extremely empowering and help you clarify your areas of expertise.
Your work, life, cultural and educational experience all add to your value.
All of the environments you’ve found yourself in throughout your life have played a part in the knowledge you have to share within a professional setting, including things you learned outside of your career.
Diverse perspectives help to broaden an organization’s area of influence and opportunity.
Your cultural understanding and style of communicating, for example, influence your point of view and the way you contribute to the team. Diverse perspectives help to broaden an organization’s area of influence and opportunity.
Any volunteer opportunities you’ve participated in—both formally and informally—have also added to your wealth of knowledge and insight. Keep in mind that you have insight into people, communities or environments that benefit your team.
Your experience shapes you—whether or not it’s in a career setting—and it is part of the unique way you add value to the organization.
Who you are as a person affects the way you impact the team.
Have you ever considered how vastly different 2 people’s approaches can be to the same task? An introvert will not manage a project in the same way that an extrovert will, even though both can be equally successful in achieving their goals.
Think about the various teachers or professors you’ve had throughout your life. Chances are they had diverse personalities, which affected the way in which they taught. That’s the beauty of all the unique people across the earth. Each individual adds their own personal touch to the world.
The way you lead may not be the way I lead; but as long as we each find a way to lead authentically, we will be able to inspire our teams to succeed.
The value you bring to the team is a combination of your skills, your experience and your personality.
When you think about the value you bring to the organization, it’s easy to focus all of your attention on the specific skills required for your position. (Obviously, those job-specific abilities are essential—after all, you can’t be an accountant if you know nothing about debits and credits.) But the truth is that your worth extends far beyond those abilities!
What you have to offer includes your life experience, as well—your educational, cultural and volunteer experience–which have shaped your understanding, your beliefs and your values.
Don’t underestimate the incredible value you have to add.
The unique way you approach each situation, based on your personality and perspective, is what sets you apart. There is no one else who can do the work exactly like you, and that makes a difference.
The combination of your aptitude, your background and your personal qualities is your superpower! Don’t underestimate the incredible value you have to add.
Own it, and learn to communicate it. (Check out this post I wrote about Why You Struggle to Express What You Have to Offer.)
Your uniqueness is invaluable.
Here’s the bottom line. The better you understand what you have to offer, the easier it will be to fight the belief that you’re not good enough.
Or that no one will want to hire you.
Or that you’re just not qualified.
Look at all of the abilities, experience and personal qualities you bring to the table. No one else in the world has that exact same combination—so NO ONE can fulfill the exact same purpose that you can!
The better you understand what you have to offer, the easier it will be to fight the belief that you’re not good enough.
Now that you know the truth, what’s stopping you from pursuing that promotion?
Or that new position?
Or even a completely different industry?
You have a unique and powerful capacity to impact the world, and you can confidently create a career that enables you to do that in whatever way you choose.
If you want your unique value to shine through your LinkedIn profile, enter your email below to check out my free LinkedIn Success Strategy!