Do you find yourself holding back in conversations, hiding away your true credentials, and not making a big deal out of the fabulous achievements you've gained over the years?
Ladies- it's time to make a change and banish the barriers and express your career success- as it may be causing more damage than you might have expected.
A new study has shown that 56% of women believe they are overlooked for a promotion because of modesty- come on girls- show them what you're made of!
But for many, it's not that easy, fear of coming across arrogant or big-headed is the main concern.
What's interesting to see is that 43% of women admit to feeling uncomfortable when networking with people they don't know, compared to 29% and 33% of men respectively.
Many women also 'shy away' from talking about their own achievements in interviews and job reviews.
This modesty and shyness is effecting women's professional relationships online, as well as in the workplace, with a third of women admitting that they feel uncomfortable connecting with someone more senior on LinkedIn too.
The research carried out by LinkedIn's 'Career Control' campaign, half admitted they don't have a career plan, despite 58% feeling that they're in the wrong industry and regularly suffering with the 'Sunday Night Blues'.
LinkedIn have launched 'Career Control' campaign to help people plan their career. To help towards boosting your confidence, they have put together a number of 'Top Tips' that will turn your shyness into high class networker!
- Have a plan - to be fulfilled at work, you first need to decide what you want from your career - what are you passionate about, and what's going to get you out of bed in the morning? Once you've got an end goal in mind, it's much easier to prioritise the connections you need to make, and the skills you need to develop, to get there.
- Plot your path - Looking at people's careers that you admire can help you plot your own career path. Whether it's Richard Branson or your boss, use LinkedIn to look at the path that they took - this will help you sketch out your own career "to do" list.
- Do your research - Whether you're networking on or offline, the same golden rule applies - do your research- If you know who's attending an event, for example, you can come armed with conversation starters, likewise having a bit of background on the people you're networking with online can help you tailor your patter.
- Big up without bragging - To show your skills without showing off, be selective. You don't need to mention everything you've ever done on your CV, LinkedIn profile or in job interviews. Cherry-pick your best achievements, and make sure you've got tangible examples to back them up. Finding a colleague to endorse you can also be incredibly useful.
- Make sure your on and offline personas match - With employers increasingly checking candidates out online as part of the hiring process, the online world is your career "shop window", so make sure your profiles are up to date and engaging.
Commenting on the findings, LinkedIn's Ngaire Moyes said, "As a nation we're naturally modest, but women shouldn't let that get in the way of their careers. Knowing how to showcase your achievements doesn't mean bragging; it's an invaluable skill for getting ahead at work. And the same rules apply online."
"Half the people we surveyed don't have a career plan - but it doesn't have to be complex or intimidating," added Moyes. "We want to motivate people to take control and show how easy it can be which is why we've put together some simple tips and inspiring stories from people from across the UK at www.controlyourcareer.co.uk."
Come on ladies- it's time to express the great achievements you have accomplished and let your future boss know you mean business!
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