Do you agree with the statement below?
When it comes to people knowing how well I do my job, my actions speak louder than words.
Last week in a workshop I led, all but one person agreed with it. But the workshop was on communicating in resumes and cover letters (covering letters). And in those communications, actions do not speak at all. Here is why: the reader of your resume (curriculum vitae, CV) and cover letter never observed you and your actions on the job. Your words on the page must do all the speaking.
The same is true if you need to write a business bio, self-appraisal, or proposal. The reader of those documents typically has not seen you in action. Therefore, your words must speak about how effectively and creatively you work, about the special talents you bring to your work, and about what you have accomplished. The words will suggest to your readers what you are capable of accomplishing for them.
Having your words speak is a challenge if you are shy or hate to brag about yourself–or if you rely on your actions to speak for themselves. Here are some practical resources:
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Peggy Klaus, author of Brag! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It, offers some inspiring questions. Here is one of them: What do you like/love about your job/career? The questions help you focus on your strengths and joys at work and in life so that you can express them. By the way, her book is excellent.
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Marcia Yudkin, marketing expert and author of lots of books on marketing, has great before-and-after examples on her website. She has excellent tips and “makeovers” of bios, press releases, home pages, brochures, self-introductions, and other pieces.
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My post “Writing About Ourselves: Bragging Without Blushing” has plenty of tips on using words to communicate your actions.
If you know of good resources on writing about ourselves (from a business perspective–not journaling), please post a comment here or email me. And feel free to write about yourself in your message!