๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ…๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ!
Last Monday, a client asked me to help him reframe one of his weaknesses. He said he is an introvert and people always say how โquiet and disengagedโ he was. I asked him what he thought, and he said deep down, he believes it’s a strength, but he finds it hard to convince anyone that it is.
That wasnโt news to me. Many people believe that if you are quiet, then something is wrong with you.
We live in a society that values extroverts over introverts. Because of that, most people believe that introversion is a weakness, and the sad fact is most introverts believe it about themselves too.
Introversion is a trait. Itโs who you are, and it would take too much energy to try to become someone you are not.
Nancy Ancowitz, author of Self-Promotion for Introverts, said โIn a society where we are expected to dazzle and be dazzled…introverts are often thought of as outcasts who quietly lurk in the margins.โ
If you are ever tempted to say your introversion is a weakness, turn your answer around to reflect your strengths.
Hereโs how my client turned his answer around:
โSome people have said that one of my weaknesses is that I tend to be quiet and disengaged, and only speak when I am asked for my opinion. I understand why someone would think so, but I view it differently. First, I enjoy working in teams, but I am one of those individuals who spend more time listening than talking and do my best work when I have a space to regroup and am able to think in solitude.โ
In my book, Tell Stories, Get Hired, Chapter 4 (Introverts Have Powerful Stories Too), I offer the following tips:
๐๐ฝKnow yourself: Candidly assess your strengths, weaknesses, failures and successes, and be ready to address them if asked.
๐๐ฝArticulate your strengths: Discuss your ability to be quiet and reflective; that you work well independently and in teams.
๐๐ฝBe authentic: Donโt try to be somebody you are not because it will become evident as the conversation goes on.
๐๐ฝStrengthen your online presence. Nothing speaks louder than a well-written, consistent online profile. This could be a personal website or a LinkedIn profile.
๐๐ฝReview interview questions. While you may not know all the questions you will be asked, research, review and practice the ones that are commonly asked.
๐๐ฝLearn to promote yourself. This might take you out of your comfort zone but learn to talk about yourself. If you donโt, then people will not know the broad range of talents you have.
๐๐ฝRealize that networking is not always a numbers game. The fact that the extroverts are handing out as many business cards as they can does not mean you should do the same. It is better to connect and have conversations with two or three quality contacts than have 20 or 30 names in a database.
What’s your introvert story?
