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Mastering the Art of Self-Advocacy
(Without Feeling Like a Walking Billboard)
Let’s be real, talking bout yourself can feel awkward. You don’t want to come off as boastful, but staying silent? That’s not helping your career either.
The truth? Self-advocacy isn’t bragging. It’s storytelling and done right, it feels less like selling and more like sharing.
So how do you show your value without cringing through the conversation? Let’s break it down.
Start with the shift.
You’re not “tooting your own horn.” You’re giving people context. You’re connecting the dots between what you’ve done and how it moved the needle. That’s not self-promotion, it’s being a team player with receipts.
Tell short, powerful stories.
Skip the bullet points. Use quick stories with a beginning, middle, and result: “We were behind on our launch, so I streamlined the review process, cutting turnaround time by 40%.”
Quick, clear, and easy to remember.
Make it about the mission.
Frame your wins in a way that shows how they helped the bigger picture. You’re not saying “look at me,” you’re saying “here’s how I helped us win.”
Sprinkle it in.
You don’t need a TED Talk. Slip it into 1:1s, team meetings, or casual updates:
- “One thing that went really well this week…”
- “Something I’m proud of that supported the team…”
That’s self-advocacy in action, authentic, aligned, and totally doable.
Bottom line?
You don’t have to shout to be seen. Just speak with clarity, confidence, and a little courage. You’ve earned your seat, now own it.
The AI Advantage
How AI Mock Interviews Boost Your Confidence
Once you’ve used AI to uncover potential questions and craft stronger answers, the next step is simple: practice until those answers feel natural and effortless. That’s where AI mock interviews come in, your personal, no‑pressure rehearsal space. 🎭
AI interview simulators allow you to paste in the job description and instantly generate tailored questions, but they don’t stop there. Many platforms listen to your spoken responses or analyze your typed answers, then provide targeted feedback on pacing, tone, clarity, and even filler words.
Try feeding in one of your STAR stories, like that time you solved a challenging problem or turned around a struggling project. AI might suggest adding a concrete metric, highlighting collaboration, or trimming unnecessary details so your story lands with impact.
The beauty of this process? You can practice anytime, anywhere; on your lunch break, late at night, or even while sipping your morning coffee. Each round of feedback makes your responses sharper, your delivery smoother, and your confidence stronger.
By the time you’re sitting across from a hiring manager, those once‑intimidating questions feel familiar. You’ve already rehearsed, refined, and mastered them.
With AI mock interviews, you’re not just practicing, you’re training like a pro, turning preparation into a powerful confidence boost that shows.
Try Out the Following Prompts:
🎯 Prompt 1: Generate Tailored Interview Questions
Here is the job description for the [job title] position. Provide a list of 10 potential interview questions I may be asked for this role and include the rationale behind each question, so I understand what the interviewer is looking for. (Paste job description after the prompt.)
📝 Prompt 2: Practice and Refine My Answers
Here is my draft answer to one of the questions. Rewrite it to sound more confident, concise, and results‑focused. Suggest where I can include measurable outcomes or stronger action verbs. (Paste your draft answer after the prompt.)
🎤 Prompt 3: Simulate a Full Mock Interview
Act as an interviewer for the [job title] role. Ask me one question at a time, wait for my typed response, then provide feedback on clarity, tone, and relevance. After your feedback, ask me the next question.
📊 Prompt 4: STAR Method Coaching
Here is my STAR response for a behavioral question. Analyze it and tell me where I can add more detail, metrics, or context to make it stronger. (Paste your Situation, Task, Action, Result answer after the prompt.)
🔥 Prompt 5: Body Language & Tone Tips (for video interviews)
Give me tips on body language, pacing, and tone of voice for virtual interviews. Include common mistakes to avoid and ways to show enthusiasm on camera.
💡 Pro Tip: Run through these prompts multiple times with different questions; it’s like having an endlessly patient coach who helps you sharpen your delivery every round.
Balancing Work and Life
The Myth of Multitasking: Why Doing Less Helps You Achieve More
Busy doesn’t always mean effective.
Many of us wear multitasking like a badge of honor, believing we’re being more productive by juggling multiple things at once, but neuroscience says otherwise.
Research shows that the brain can’t actually focus on more than one complex task at a time, it just switches rapidly, which leads to more mistakes and mental fatigue.
Multitasking isn't a strength, it’s a stressor.
Here’s how to break free from the multitasking trap:
- Time-block your calendar with focus sessions (try 25-minute sprints with 5-minute breaks)
- Turn off notifications, even if it’s just for one hour
- Use a “parking lot” list to jot down distracting thoughts or tasks for later
- Give full attention to one task, and notice how much faster and better you complete it
Energy Management Over Time Management
It’s not just about having time, it’s about having energy to use it well.
You can block your calendar, organize your tasks, and still feel drained by noon.
Why? Because time management doesn't account for how your energy ebbs and flows.
Energy management is the missing piece in most productivity plans.
Ask yourself: When do I feel most alert? When do I crash? What drains me vs. what restores me?
Here’s how to align your workday with your energy levels:
- Schedule high-focus work during your peak energy window (morning for many, afternoon for some)
- Batch lower-energy tasks together (emails, admin, errands)
- Incorporate energy resets—walks, deep breathing, hydration, music breaks
- End your day with a small win to feel accomplished, not depleted
When you manage your energy, you manage your impact. Less burnout, more brilliance.
The Culture Equation
Culture Fit vs. Culture Add
Real Talk from Your Favorite Recruiter
You Asked. I Answered.
One of my favorite parts of what I do is hearing from you. Whether you're a job seeker, a career changer, or navigating burnout in your current role, your questions are what inspire me to show up, share my insight, and keep this conversation real.
Every month, I’ll spotlight one reader-submitted question; candidly, compassionately, and from the lens of 20+ years in recruiting, coaching, and career strategy. Nothing is off-limits: resumes, interviews, growth, layoffs, salary talk, rejections, mindset shifts… whatever’s on your mind.
August Spotlight Question
Can I use AI to write my resume, or will recruiters notice?
The short answer? Yes, you can use AI, but use it wisely.
AI can be a fantastic resume sidekick. It can help you organize your experience, find the right words, and even tailor your resume to match a job description. Think of it like your behind-the-scenes editor, not your voice.
Why? Because recruiters can tell when a resume sounds more like a robot than a real person. If it’s packed with generic phrases like “results-oriented team player with a proven track record of leveraging synergies”… we’re already asleep.
So go ahead and let AI help you build the bones, but you bring the heart. Infuse your personality, your real wins, your voice. Make sure your resume sounds like you, not a chatbot in a power suit.
One more tip? Don’t oversell what you can’t deliver. If your resume claims you’ve mastered ten software programs but you’ve only opened Excel twice, that’ll come out quickly.
Integrity still matters. AI can’t save you from that.
Use AI as a tool, not a crutch. Done right, it can help you shine and when your resume truly reflects you? That’s success.
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