By Lynn Gaertner-Johnston
Founder,
Syntax Training
 For
many of us, it’s difficult to write about
ourselves without nagging, uncomfortable feelings. Maybe that’s because of childhood messages
we heard about being modest. I, for one, had an imposing
old aunt who announced, whenever I was happily bragging, “Self-praise
stinks.”
Despite
our discomfort and wherever it comes from, there
are times when we are obliged to write proudly and
confidently about ourselves; for example, in
self-appraisals, resumes, cover letters, proposals,
and bios. These documents require us to stifle a
blush and write shamelessly about our accomplishments,
experience, and skills.
Here are ten suggestions for writing proudly about
yourself without blushing.
1. |
Think
about your pride and joy.
If
you have difficulty identifying your accomplishments or
special strengths for a resume or self-assessment,
think about what makes you proud in your
work. Also, consider what gives you the
greatest joy. Often these things—coaching
managers, calming anxious visitors, solving
systems problems, mentoring new employees—will
help you identify your accomplishments.
Once you have
listed several accomplishments, try the STAR
method, below.
|
| |
|
2. |
Use the STAR method.
In
resumes, proposals, and self-evaluations, you
must write convincingly about your strengths,
skills, and accomplishments—that
is, to write about yourself as a star performer.
To do that successfully, use the STAR method.
This method involves briefly describing
a situation (S) or task
(T),
the action (A) you took
to accomplish it, and the results (R)
you achieved.
Management example:
When I started as branch manager,
annual employee turnover was 25 percent (S/T).
I implemented an employee satisfaction
survey and suggestion program, established
coaching plans for supervisors, and instituted
a weekly staff meeting (A). As a result
of these efforts, the employee turnover
rate is now 10 percent
(R).
Training example:
The challenge was to train staff in the new software
by the opening of business on Monday (S/T).
I designed, planned, and managed around-the-clock
training using classroom instructors, online learning,
and targeted job aids (A). On Monday
morning, 96 percent of employees reporting to work
had been trained in the new system (R).
|
| |
|
3. |
Specific
examples add credibility. Although
words like outstanding, dependable,
and creative are positive, they
don’t always paint a convincing picture.
Besides that, they may make you blush.
In a bio, list
your years of experience, impressive job titles,
prestigious clients, certifications, education,
or other relevant credentials. Instead of stating
that you “always maintain good customer
relations,” cite customer-satisfaction
surveys, letters of commendation, and the absence
of any customer complaints about you.
|
| |
|
4. |
Use numbers wherever
possible.
Numbers
are concrete. They communicate a
clear picture. By contrast, a “large
staff” may be 20 or 200. If you are
in charge of a large staff, budget, or region,
use numbers to show how large it is. Alternatively,
state specifically how long you have managed
it.
|
| |
|
5. |
Do not exaggerate
or lie, even a tiny bit.
Your
self-assessment, bio, or resume should make
you feel proud and help you speak
confidently in an interview, performance
discussion, or proposal presentation. Exaggerations
or misstatements will not give you confidence,
in addition to their obvious ethical implications.
Even if something
is true but sounds exaggerated, leave it
out. One consultant’s bio
says that he himself has trained 350,000
people in 15 years. That’s an average
23,333 people each year, or 449 participants
each and every week for 15 years! While
it may be true, without further explanation
it sounds false. Save telling about such
an amazing deed for a speech or conversation,
where you can elaborate.
|
| |
|
6. |
Use I.
Many people
have been taught in business or technical writing
classes not to use the pronoun I. In
some instances that may be useful advice, but
in a cover letter or self-assessment it doesn’t
make sense. Feel free to write “I hired
200 interns” or “I wrote the final
draft.” If you participated in a successful
group effort, you are still justified in using I: “With
my team members, I won the Corporate Communications
award in 2004.”
Vary your sentence
structure if you find that you
have too many sentences beginning with I.
Change “I reduced turnaround time
by
20 percent within a year” to “Within
a year, I reduced turnaround time
by 20
percent.”
|
| |
|
7. |
Give relevant information.
Most self-assessments
include specific categories: teamwork, communication,
problem-solving, and so on. Be sure that the
examples you give match the category; otherwise,
they lose power.
|
| |
|
8. |
Explain value.
Be sure
to tie results to organizational goals. For
example, as the new safety coordinator at
your organization, you may have conducted
40 safety inspections in your first three
months. The number sounds impressive, but
what does it mean? Is there a correlation
between your inspections and a reduction
in accidents or incidents?
Whenever possible,
translate your hard work into results your
reader will value. Consider “negative
data” to illustrate your effectiveness—information
such as the absence of on-the-job accidents,
lawsuits, and grievances.
|
| |
|
9. |
Enlist the help
of a friend.
When you have
drafted your resume, cover letter, application,
bio, or self-appraisal, ask a friend to review
it and answer these types of questions:
- Are my examples specific?
- Have I described my strengths
accurately?
- Is every statement clear?
- Does every statement sound
believable?
- Is all the content pertinent?
- Have I missed any relevant
strengths or accomplishments?
|
| |
|
10. |
Enjoy the smell.
Life
is too precious to be crippled by my aunt’s “Self-praise
stinks” rule. Feel free to ignore any
of those old voices. Instead, enjoy the sweet
smell of your success.
|
| |
|
|
|