Bragging or Marketing Your Skills?

In our culture, students are often wary of marketing their skills to employers simply because they fear that it will come off as bragging. I suspect this stems from the desire to not be that obnoxious person we all know who can't shut-up about his/her awesomeness.

But students MUST get over this because when it comes to your resume and interview, no one else is going to tell the recruiter what you do well. YOU have to! (Mom and Dad are NOT invited to the interview...just in case you were wondering.)

Here are some tips to navigate self-marketing without becoming a braggart:

Know yourself.
Through various assessments, you can gain some insight into what your work values, interests and skills are. Auburn students and alumni are invited to utilize these resources. The descriptions you read will help you better articulate who you are to employers. Then, talk to friends, family and supervisors and ask them what you do well. (Get endorsements!)

Know the company/organization.
You only need to tell the recruiter what they are looking for in an employee. You may be the best kayaker on campus, but if you're looking for a job in marketing office equipment, they probably don't care. Tell the employer the skills you possess that relate to their needs.

Keep track of your successes.
Without fail you'll think of the perfect example as you walk across the parking lot after the interview. So, document your successes ahead of time. They don't all need to be on your resume, but they may be a perfect example for an interview question. If you write them down, you're more likely to have the example at the forefront of your mind.

Practice.
Through resources like InterviewStream where you self evaluate or formal mock interviews with a career counselor, you can practice your answers and examples and gauge if you sound like you're bragging or communicating what an awesome fit you are for the company/organization.

Brag on!