3 answers
Crystal
Student
Collingdale, Pennsylvania
1
Question
Updated
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How do you make yourself stand out from so many others that are just as skilled and talented as you?
Greetings, I'm actively pursuing a promotion as a Divisional Learning Manager within my organization by reaching out to others with success in this field amongst many other things I'm working on. I have a lot of skills that are transferable to this new role. I've been a valuable asset to the company and a now I'm making a pathway for my goals and aspirations. My question is how do you make yourself stand out from so many others that are just as skilled and talented as you? What specifically did you do to stand out and make the greatest impression over others that are just as good? I've been passed over by others simply because they stood out from the crowd. How do you create that trademark for yourself? What specifically does that look like?
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3 answers
Katie Rubino
3
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Katie’s Answer
Hi Crystal! It sounds like you're already on the right path in pursuing this promotion.
-Networking: Yes, continue to connect with other professionals in the field and ask for their advice specific to this position and your organization.
-Build a Work Porfolio: It could be as simple as a running list of your accomplishments in a digital document (Microssoft Word, Google Docs, etc.) or something more robust as displaying your projects, wins, etc. in a Canva.com template. This portfolio will be helpful to include in future job applications or interview processes.
- Stay Positive: Your "trademark" can be as simple as your authentic self. No one possesses the unique combination of life and work experiences that YOU do. Always remember that and carry yourself with confidence on your journey ahead!
You got this!
-Networking: Yes, continue to connect with other professionals in the field and ask for their advice specific to this position and your organization.
-Build a Work Porfolio: It could be as simple as a running list of your accomplishments in a digital document (Microssoft Word, Google Docs, etc.) or something more robust as displaying your projects, wins, etc. in a Canva.com template. This portfolio will be helpful to include in future job applications or interview processes.
- Stay Positive: Your "trademark" can be as simple as your authentic self. No one possesses the unique combination of life and work experiences that YOU do. Always remember that and carry yourself with confidence on your journey ahead!
You got this!
Kayleigh Bracht
1
Answer
Updated
Kayleigh’s Answer
Hi Crystal! I love this question as I remember feeling this way as I was beginning to interview for roles that would get me where I wanted to be. I think my biggest piece of advice is to be yourself and let the things that make you who you are shine through! While it's true that a lot of people can share similar skillsets, it is also true that you are the only person that can be you + your skillset. I personally always enjoyed throwing in a silly part of my personality into an interview and I found that it really helped those interviewing me to remember me. For me, it was proving how deep my organization skills wove themselves into my life by showing a picture of my very organized, very color coded, pants drawer. Yes, it sounds crazy, but it always got a good chuckle and sparked good conversation in the interview. I also found that really letting my personality lead the interview allowed me to get a sense of how well I would fit into a company's culture and align with their values, which is also very important to me.
I hope this helps you on your journey! Sending you lots of luck!
I hope this helps you on your journey! Sending you lots of luck!
Heather MacDonald
Principal Consultant
24
Answers
Salt Lake City, Utah
Updated
Heather’s Answer
To stand out in the crowd I recommend two things. One, build a solid network well beyond the area you're hoping to work in. The more people you have who know you and can vouch for your work the more likely you'll be visible. It's not just about folks knowing your name but building those relationships with folks where they are willing to say your name in spaces you're not.
The second thing would be to build your personal brand. I like to find ways to do this both internally in my organization and externally on LinkedIn. Internally this could look like being an active participant in networking opportunities, company events, employee resource groups, mentoring programs, etc. Showing face, even if digitally on Zoom/Teams, still matters to a lot of people and being an active participant in existing opportunities not only shows you're actively engaged but supports building your network. On LinkedIn, it can be as simple as commenting on the posts of others in your industry or company or as unique as writing your own posts.
One bonus thing, figure out how to create your own brag book/kudos log and share your wins. So many times we get passed up because someone is simply louder about their career goals or their wins. Get comfortable talking about your wins, goals, and the ways your work is making a difference to the business.
I hope this helps and best of luck to you.
The second thing would be to build your personal brand. I like to find ways to do this both internally in my organization and externally on LinkedIn. Internally this could look like being an active participant in networking opportunities, company events, employee resource groups, mentoring programs, etc. Showing face, even if digitally on Zoom/Teams, still matters to a lot of people and being an active participant in existing opportunities not only shows you're actively engaged but supports building your network. On LinkedIn, it can be as simple as commenting on the posts of others in your industry or company or as unique as writing your own posts.
One bonus thing, figure out how to create your own brag book/kudos log and share your wins. So many times we get passed up because someone is simply louder about their career goals or their wins. Get comfortable talking about your wins, goals, and the ways your work is making a difference to the business.
I hope this helps and best of luck to you.
Thank you so much for all of this 💖. I'm definitely working on everything you mentioned here. This was such an amazing help 😍
Crystal
You've got this, Crystal! It takes time to learn how to stand out in a way that's authentic to you and how you want to show up in the workplace. Finding what works for you is what will let you do this over time throughout your career.
Heather MacDonald