If you've ever had a job interview you'll know that i can be incredibly nerve wracking, even if you're prepared. Many people aren't used to bigging up their skills, but in a job interview process it's necessary.
According to experts, this isn't just important in the hiring process, but if you want to progress within the business, it's crucial to make your achievements in the workplace known, no matter how uncomfortable it feels.
But it takes a lot of effort to project yourself confidently, and there's a bit of an art to it. Experts have shared an unusual trick that could bag you a promotion at work – and it's all to do with "bragging like an American".
Speaking to The Times, Meredith Fineman, author of Brag Better: Master the Art of Fearless Self-Promotion, said that raising things you're good at in work is something we all should be doing.
This is particularly important now that many people are still working from home, and their contributions and effort might not be as visible.
She said: "There's this misconception that talking about your work is not part of your job, but it is. It makes you a good communicator.
"People think it's really all just fluff, but it's a huge part of your work, especially when there's so much remote [working]. You have to do bragging double duty because people aren't in the room."
According to Dr Audrey Tang, a chartered psychologist with the British Psychological Society, there is a British tendency to "put oneself down" and show "false modesty", while Americans are usually "extremely enthusiastic" about themselves.
Ashlie Collins, Psychotherapist and founder of consultancy Humane Startup, has first-hand knowledge of this, and when she moved from the US to the UK in 2017, and had to get used to a less "in-your-face" style of self-promotion.
She said: "People do see it in the UK as bragging, whereas in the US it's seen as self-promotion. That's how you get ahead – you push boundaries."
The experts say that you should "stick to the facts" and discuss your achievements with quantifiable evidence.
Ashlie said this is particularly true for woman, who already struggle with the gender-pay gap. In the UK, the average working-age woman earned 40% less than the male counterpart, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies in 2019.
So it seems "boasting" about your achievements could help you from being overlooked.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
