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Nancy Ancowitz’s career as a business communication coach took a major turn the day she completed the personality assessment known as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.
She learned that she was an introvert, a label of sorts that she has come embrace over the years. As a personality type, introverts tend to draw energy from focusing on ideas and internal reflection; extroverts tend to be more outward directed, drawn to interaction with people, events and activities.
Given the tough economy and job market of recent years, introverts really need to “celebrate their strengths and build the vital skills they need to raise their visibility,” Ancowitz says. She teaches others some of the lessons she learned herself in “Self Promotion for Introverts: The Quiet Guide to Getting Ahead” (McGraw Hill, 2009).
Introverts have many strong qualities, she says. For instance, they get energy from down time, think before they speak or act, engage in deeper conversation, appear more calm and reflective and excel at detail-oriented tasks.
Marcia Yudkin, who shares some personal strategies for succeeding as an introvert in her self-published book, “Marketing for Introverts,” says introverts often know how to act like extraverts but they’re simply not as comfortable behaving in a more outward-directed fashion. She suggests that introverts focus on activities that they enjoy.
Introverts can successfully network when they don’t pretend to be someone they are not, when they spotlight the skills and talents they take great pleasure in offering and when they relax, Yudkin says.
Ancowitz offers tips to help introverts jumpstart their visibility:
• Introverts don’t enjoy the impromptu. Write down what you will need to say at meetings so that you are clear about your message and goals.
• Watch others promote themselves and try to discern what you think works. Then try to adopt that style.
• At networking gatherings, focus on engaging with a few people at a time rather than trying to get to know many.
• Push yourself to speak at meetings, conferences and social events to boost your credibility and visibility.
• Stay connected with colleagues, managers and clients. Update them on your life and inquire about and celebrate theirs.
