Are you selling yourself short? This is a simple question which we may encounter during a coaching session. But how would you answer it?
I find that if you are female then you are likely to answer “no, well err, perhaps!” Followed by, “what do you mean?” What I mean is, how often have you thought about applying for a new job or preparing for a business meeting but your mind has said “you don’t have the skills they are looking for so don’t bother applying” or “they won’t be interested in what you have to say”? In both cases you are selling yourself short either in the skills you have or the ability you possess. I believe that this stems from a view, or a fear, that others may consider us to be boasting about what we can offer.
I remember working with a lady on her CV. Her first draft was very mechanical, i.e. I worked for this company from x date to y date, this was my job title and here are brief details of what I did. When I asked what transferrable skills came out of each of her roles she couldn’t think of any. As part of a coaching conversation, we therefore explored what she did for each of the main tasks in her role and identified a plethora of transferrable skills. We then redrafted her CV providing prospective employers with a clear picture of what she could offer them. This exercise also prepared her for attending interviews with a new confidence in her abilities. I still recall the look of joy on her face as she realised the breadth of her skill set and how transferrable it could be. She then landed the next job which she applied for, and she still talks about how this exercise helped her.
This simple exercise was a mix of career coaching and mindset coaching and shows how one can influence the other. Working with a Career Coach and a Mindset Coach can help you facilitate change in many aspects of your life. So, let’s connect so that you can “Stop selling yourself short!”