I’ve never been prouder of my cover letter that started with a witty opening line about almost getting run over in London, or the interview that went so well the hiring manager and I went on a tangent about our college years, or when a recruiter basically told me I had the job over email.

Yet, in all three of these cases I went on to not get the job. So, needless to say, there have been what I can only call confusing moments in my job search.

These moments have been learning experiences for me (of course, after I cried over them and crafted angry emails that I was smart enough to not actually send). Not so much because they made me think I had to change everything I was doing, but more a reminder that the job search is, at the end of the day, a numbers game. You might not get it on the first try, and you might not even get it on the 30th try, but if you know what you’re up against, you will increase your odds.

With that in mind, it might be helpful to remind yourself of all the obstacles you need to overcome. I repeated these four facts like a mantra during my job hunt, and surprisingly, they only encouraged me to try harder. Yes, they might make you want to throw in the towel when you first see them, but bear with me, and I’ll tell you how to easily work around them.

1. Most Hiring Managers Won’t Read Your Whole Application

It’s true—along with your resume, cover letter, references, and whatever else you included, the hiring manager probably has to read hundreds more. There will be times when your materials will simply get lost in a digital pile because they all start to blur together after a point. It stinks, but out of millions of people in this world, you have to assume you’re not the only person applying.

How to Beat the Odds

55% of hiring managers don’t even read cover letters, so knowing this, Muse Editor-in-Chief Adrian Granzella Larssen suggests that you try a different approach to grabbing the hiring manager’s attention. Consider crafting a summary section or links to your work in your resume, or take advantage of the “additional information” section of your application. If you’re only being given a few seconds to make an impression, make sure they count.

“You should still write that cover letter—wouldn’t it be a shame to not include one for those employers who do still consider it worthwhile? But you should also do all of the following, which’ll make sure you stand out even if it never gets read,” she says.

2. Most Applicants Have the Same Resume

You may think it’s great that you went to a top college, or worked at a major bank, or mastered Excel like some kind of wizard, but so did a lot of people. Unless you founded Apple or can literally be in two places at once, there’s most likely little about your skills, experience, and achievements that is unique and different—even movie stars have to compete with each other. That’s not to say you’re not awesome and you’re not perfect for the role, but it’s to say that it’s hard for a hiring manager to pick that up quickly from the facts you provide in your application.

How to Beat the Odds

One quick fix is to make sure it’s very obvious that you’re a fit for the position. And to do this, you might want to experiment with an infographic resume, write a pain letter, or build a personal website.

If these things seem a bit far-fetched for what you’re looking for (and for many fields, they might very well be!), making your application stand out doesn’t have to be an ambitious task. By simply ensuring sure your resume’s tailored to the job, your “less relevant” skills are clearly transferable to the position, and your cover letter’s laying out your qualifications, you’ll be putting your best foot forward. So many people skip this step because they’re relying on the fact their credentials speak for themselves—don’t be those people.

3. Your Interview Was Not the Only One That Went Well

Sure, the hiring manager loved your answer to that tricky question, asked you to call her by her first name, and gave you a hug before you left the office. But there’s a good chance you’re not the first person to get that reaction. Cue tears and lost hope for a new friendship.

Maybe she’s just super friendly, or maybe she actually liked you, but that doesn’t mean you’re the only candidate she met and liked.

How to Beat the Odds

The good news is that if the interview went well, you have a pretty decent shot already. Now it’s time to continue to remind her of who you are and why she liked you.

Yup, you know where I’m going with this—the thank you note.

Muse writer Sara McCord said it perfectly when she talked about the difference a letter can make when two candidates are neck and neck: “Now, let’s say one candidate sends a note and the other doesn’t…Well, in the first instance, the sender pulls ahead of the other applicant because she demonstrates she’s willing to follow the rules—even when other people might find them perfunctory.”

4. Your Materials Probably Never Made it Into Human Hands

Companies get tons of applications. And if you think the powers that be have time to read through all of them, then you have a lot of faith in the human species.

No, your application most likely goes through an applicant tracking system (otherwise known as ATS) first. This is basically a robot that scans thousands of documents for keywords and requirements, saving hiring managers a ton of time, but also cheating lots of desperate job seekers like yourself out of the chance to show how awesome you are.

How to Beat the Odds

Muse writer James Hu did some research on ATS and found that wording is king: “For your application to rank highly for the position you want, your resume needs to contain the right keywords. So, your best bet is to tailor the content to the exact way the job description is written—including plural words, abbreviations, and numbers (e.g., note whether the company spells it nonprofit or non-profit; three years of experience or 3 years of experience). Yes, adjusting your wording for every application takes more time and effort than sending a generic resume, but as you can see, it’s well worth it.”

In addition, he notes that ATS looks for hard, tangible skills over soft skills such as “leadership” or “team player,” which are vetted during later stages in the process.

The truth hurts, especially when it’s out of your control. But take these as motivators to break the mold—and remember that you’re not alone in the frustration. After my 30th try, I finally beat the system, which means you can, too. And honestly, probably sooner, because by simply reading this article you already know a lot more than I did when I started out.

Credit : themuse.com

Ever wonder how some people seem to be swimming in interviews and job offers, even though you never hear about them talking about pounding the job-hunt pavement?

It’s totally annoying, right?

I’ll let you in on their secret: They’re still hustling, just not in the here’s-my-resume-and-cover-letter way everybody else does. When you see a friend steeped in opportunities, it’s safe to assume she’s been doing some creative behind-the-scenes work to get noticed by people who can help her build her career.

If you’re tired of sending out resumes and hoping for the best, try one of these approaches on for size:

1. Make Some Noise With Great Content

Establishing yourself as a voice in your field is an awesome way to be noticed by influential companies (and people) in your industry. Call it thought leadership; call it authority marketing; call it whatever you want. Positioning yourself as someone who has incredibly useful ideas—and is ready to share them—is a sure-fire way to attract interest.

And don’t worry, you don’t have to be a writer to make this trick work for you. Many people with published articles or interesting blogs aren’t operating alone. They bounce ideas off more experienced friends or team up with freelance editors to make sure their stuff is top quality. Sneaky? Some might say so, but others would probably call that very smart—look where it gets them!

Once you have a few pieces of content you love, load them onto your personal website’s blog or publish them on your LinkedIn to establish a track record. Then, if you want bonus points, start pitching your best ideas to relevant press outlets. Shoot for publications favored by leaders in your industry. Before too long, you’ll have a growing reputation and the emails requesting chats over coffee will start trickling in.

Hint: Making noise for yourself with great content works especially well when you want to branch out into new industries. It’s the perfect chance to build your credibility and show that you’re not a one-trick pony!

2. Stop Waiting for Recruiters to Notice You

I’ve always loved Steve Martin’s advice “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” His words totally capture the way you should be thinking if you want to avoid soul-crushing job application portals. That’s because polishing up the elements of your brand, like your LinkedIn profile, is only half the battle. Translation: Being awesome and waiting around for recruiters to notice isn’t enough.

Think of it this way: Would you rather attempt to stand out from a list of 10 candidates within a recruiter’s LinkedIn search results, or get a decision maker to focus on you alone so you can wow him or from there?

Stop being passive and reach out to top recruiters in your industry. Seriously! Try a note like this:

Hi Herman,

I’m looking to use my 10 years of experience managing agencies and building digital products for brands like Carmex, Sharpie, and Scotch with a local company when I move to Dallas this fall.

Teams like those at BuzzShift, JDM Digital, and Boxcar Creative stand out to me because of their approach to translating data into creative campaigns for their clients.

If my current direction and the experience on the attached resume align with the needs of one of your clients, I’d love the chance to connect over the phone to share more about my background.

Best,

Lois

Remember: It’s all about initiating a conversation. You’ve already got the whole “can’t ignore you” part on lockdown with a strong personal brand, so you’re sure to get some responses that don’t involve clicking a “Submit Applicant” button in no time.

3.Get Noticed With a Little “Wink Marketing”

Confession: When I wanted to write for The Muse, I didn’t pitch the editorial team outright. Instead, I endeavored to put myself on their radar before reaching out with my first article idea. I shared, liked, and commented on the content they’d written or ideas they tweeted.

My actions were small and nuanced, like the wink of an eye, but after a few weeks, a member of the team actually reached to out to me before I’d had a chance to submit my first article idea. She said she loved my blog (see? Great content works!), and asked if I’d consider penning an article?

The rest is history.

Wink marketing is a killer way to build relationships in the digital realm. It’s also the happy medium between waiting around and the direct outreach method I outlined above.

Let’s say there is a recruiter you weren’t comfortable contacting directly. You could follow her on Twitter one day, share one of her job postings with your LinkedIn network later that week, and comment on her posts the next. Before too long, she’ll be curious about you and unable to resist poking around your knock ’em dead web presence. Once she does, it’s prime time to officially introduce yourself.

You can wink market yourself to just about anyone you’re hoping to have a chat with:
Potential mentors, professionals with the job title you crave, and decision makers of all kinds. Just bear in mind that the more noteworthy the person or company, the harder they might be to connect with.

These approaches take a little time. They’re the “long game” as far as job hunting goes. But when you add up the time you might spend applying to a zillion online openings and hearing nothing back, backdoor approaches to landing interviews actually save you time in the long run. Start creating interesting things and drawing attention to them today so that there are opportunities waiting for you when you’re ready for your next career pivot.

Credit : themuse.com

In an interview, your primary goal is to get across to the hiring manager why you—above all the other candidates—are the right person for the job. That you have the right set of skills, a great personality, and the drive to really make things happen in your new role.

But as you’re preparing answers to interview questions that’ll let you do all of those things, it’s equally important to know what the hiring manager will consider a red flag. After all, a wrong move or two, and it won’t matter how great your sales numbers at your last job were.

To help you out, steer clear of these 30 messages. You’ll make sure that your awesome abilities and accomplishments—not a totally avoidable faux pas—will be what your interviewer remembers.

1. “So, tell me what you do around here.”

Rule #1 of interviewing: Do your research. You never want to walk into an interview knowing next to nothing about the position or company—you want to show that you’re excited enough that you’ve done some homework and thought about how you’d fit in. To get started, do some online research (here’s your game plan), and try to find a current or past employee you can talk to before the big day.

2. “Ugh, my last company…”

No matter how bad a job was, you never, ever want to badmouth a former employer in an interview. Keep your tone somewhere between neutral and positive, focusing on what you’ve learned from each experience and what you’re hoping to do in the future. This especially applies when you’re talking about why you’re leaving—here are a few tips on how to do it right.

3. “I didn’t get along with my boss.”

Similarly, you don’t want to speak negatively about anyone you’ve worked with in the past. Even if a previous manager could put the characters in Horrible Bosses to shame, your interviewer doesn’t know that—and could wonder whether you’re the difficult one to work with.

4. “I’m really nervous.”

Even if you’re more nervous than you’ve ever been, no company wants to hire someone who lacks confidence. “So, in this case, honesty is not the best policy,” says Amy Hoover, president of the job board TalentZoo. “Fake it ’til you make it!” (Via Business Insider)

5. “I’ll do whatever.”

Most hiring managers are looking for people who are incredibly passionate about the role they’re taking on. So when you say something to the effect of, “I don’t care what jobs you have available—I’ll do anything!” that’s a big red flag. Instead, target your search to a specific role at each company, and be ready to explain why it’s exactly what you’re looking for.

6. “I know I don’t have much experience, but…”

This mistake is easy to make, especially if you’re a recent grad or career changer. Problem is, when you apologize for experience you don’t have, you’re essentially saying that you’re not a great hire, that you’re not quite the right fit for the role, or even that you would be starting from square one. And that’s just not the case! Instead of drawing attention to your weaknesses, stay positive, focus on your strengths, and immediately launch into your transferable skills and infectious enthusiasm for the position. Here are a few better phrases to try instead.

7. “It’s on my resume.”

“Here’s the thing; I know it’s on your resume, but if I’m asking you about a particular job or experience, I want you to tell me more beyond a written word. I’m actually evaluating your communication and social skills. Are you articulate? Should you be client-facing, or are you someone we need to keep hidden in the basement next to the IT lending library?” says Nando Rodriguez, Head of Employment Branding at Ogilvy & Mather. “If a recruiter is asking you about a certain skill, don’t reference your resume, and instead use it as your moment to shine.”

8. “Yes! I have a great answer for that!”

Practiced your answers to some interview questions? Great. But don’t memorize them word for word. When you’re hyper-prepared and hanging on the edge of your seat waiting for certain questions for which you’ve prepared to be asked, you will likely have a very hard time engaging in genuine conversation with the interviewer. And interviewers don’t tend to hire detached people who can’t seem to have a genuine conversation. Certainly, walk in prepared, but force yourself to not memorize or over-rehearse the practice questions.

9. “Perfectionism is my greatest weakness.”

Here’s the thing: Chances are, telling a hiring manager that perfectionism is your greatest weakness won’t surprise him or her—and it might come off as sounding like an overly rehearsed cliché. It also doesn’t offer much of a true insight into your work style or personality (especially if half the other candidates are giving the same response). Try a more genuine response (here are some ideas)—and if perfectionism really is your greatest weakness? Use these tips to spin it right.

10. “I’m the top salesperson at the company—and I have two semesters worth of Spanish.”

In an article for the Harvard Business Review, Heidi Grant Halvorson gives an excellent example of a case in which less is more: Instead of stopping after describing your degrees from Harvard, your relevant internships, and your technical expertise—you tack on your two semesters of college-level Spanish. Maybe Spanish is relevant to the job, but even so, according to the “Presenter’s Paradox,” rather than seeing that as a bonus, our minds tend to average out the impressiveness of the listed achievements. Try to keep any string of accomplishments you mention within the same range of impressiveness as others, and either leave out the outliers or wait for a better opportunity to talk about them (when they won’t be stacked against your highest achievements).

11. “I think outside the box.”

Resume buzzwords make hiring managers’ eyes glaze over, and similarly, using clichés in an interview won’t get you very far. Skip these overused business phrases, and describe your skills and abilities using stories about things you’ve actually done.

12. “I, like, increased our social following, like, 25%…”

Filler words like “like” and “um” can make you look like you lack confidence—or worse, the ability to communicate clearly on the job. Try these tips to erase “like” from your vocabulary for good.

13. “On my third goose-hunting trip to Canada…”

Stories are a great way to connect with the interviewer—they’re more memorable than facts, help you build rapport, and can help you to quite literally share an experience with your interviewer. But, as highlighted in this SlideShare (see Mistake #4), you need to tie that story back into what the company’s needs are, your interviewer’s experience, or, more specifically, to the position he or she is trying to fill, or you risk being forgotten (or looking a bit strange).

14. “I built a synergistic network of strategic alliances…”

If your interview answers sound a little too much like Weird Al’s song, “Mission Statement,” you’re probably not going to be the most memorable candidate. Turns out, listening to abstract words (think “strategic alliances” and “cutting-edge technology”) only activates areas of the brain related to language processing. Alternatively, concrete words like “carrot juice,” “smoking car engine,” and “stood in front of 150 people” are easier to picture, activate more areas of the brain, and are therefore more memorable. Pull in the five senses and describe actions taken. You’ll be remembered positively rather than for being a jargon bot.

15. “I pulled together the STF reports.”

Unless they’re absolutely industry-standard terms, don’t use acronyms or jargon when you’re describing your responsibilities. You’ll be much more compelling (not to mention interesting) using language that everyone gets right off the bat.

16. “Um, I don’t know.”

Even if you practice, and practice, and practice, you could still get a question that stumps you. But saying “I don’t know” is rarely the right approach. Two strategies that work well are repeating the question thoughtfully before answering or saying (slowly), “Now, that is a great question. I think I would have to say…” Still stumped? Ask for what you need—whether that’s a pen and paper, a glass of water, or a quick minute to think.

17. “How much vacation time do I get?”

When you bust out with an immediate litany of WIIFM (what’s in it for me?) questions, you look both arrogant and, frankly, unappealing. Guess what interviewers want to know when they meet with you? First and foremost, they want to know what you can do for them. What can you do to make that company money, improve businesses processes, grow the organization and, importantly, make their lives easier? Making you happy will be important if they want you, but you’re not even going to get to that stage if you make your list of demands clear too early.

18. “How soon do you promote employees?”

“An individual asking this question may come off as arrogant and entitled,” says Josh Tolan, founder and CEO of SparkHire.com. A better way to ask this? “I’m really interested in staying at a place for a while. What do career paths within the company typically look like?”

19. “Nope—no questions.”

Not having any questions for the interviewer basically says that you’re not interested enough to learn any more. Have some thoughtful questions prepared (here are more than 50), and your interview will feel more like a conversation than a firing squad.

20. “Then, while I was at happy hour…”

Is your underwear riding up your rear end as you sit in that interview? Did you totally run a red light (and nearly sideswipe a school bus) so that you could be on time? Did your husband lose $15,000 at a craps table in Vegas last weekend? How interesting—yet all completely off-limits conversation topics while you’re in the interview. Even if you’re interviewing for a role within the most free-wheeling, fun-loving organization, the fact remains that you are in an interview. Never, ever get wooed into believing that the casual nature of the environment frees you to enter the TMI zone.

21. “I’ll have the steak and a glass of Cabernet.”

If your meeting takes place over a meal, take the lead from your interviewers. Casually ask if they’ve been to the restaurant before and what they think are good options—hopefully their recommendations will give you a sense of an appropriate price range. If not, try to have your interviewer order first and choose something at that price point (or less). And put down the drink menu—even if your interviewer imbibes, you should stay on your best behavior.

22. “I’d like to start my own business as soon as possible.”

Entrepreneurial ambitions are great—but if you’re applying for a job to work for someone else, you probably want to downplay the fact that you’re trying to get funding for your burgeoning startup. Most employers want to hire people who are going to be around for a while, and if there’s any suspicion that you’re just collecting a paycheck until you can do your own thing, you probably won’t get the job.

23. “What the hell!”

You’d think not swearing is Interviewing 101, but you’d be surprised how often people still do it. Even if your interviewer drops a few S- or F-bombs, you’re better off keeping your language PG.

24. “So, yeah…”

“Even with the most prepared interview candidates, I’ve found that a lot of people still make one critical mistake,” says career counselor Lily Zhang. “They’ll deliver absolutely fantastic and relevant stories, and I’ll be completely hooked—all the way up until they end with, ‘and… yeah’ or just an awkward pause.” Instead, try one of these three approaches to perfectly wrap up your answers.

25. “Do you know when we’ll be finished here?”

You should never give the impression that you’re in a hurry or have somewhere else to be. “What could be a 30-minute interview might turn into a 90-minute interview if all goes well, and if you seem like you have somewhere more important to be, the interviewer will definitely be turned off,” Hoover explains. (Via Business Insider)

26. “I’m going through a tough time right now.”

Yes, most people would be incredibly sympathetic to someone who has been laid off, is going through a divorce, or is dealing with family drama. And even if your interviewer is, he or she may also wonder how your personal life will affect your performance on the job. So, keep your problems under wraps and keep the conversations focused on your professional life.

27. “Sorry I’m so late.”

Just be on time. Enough said.

28. “Sorry I’m so early.”

But don’t be too punctual. When you arrive more than five or 10 minutes before your meeting, you’re putting immediate pressure on the interviewer to drop whatever she may be wrapping up and deal with you. Or, she’s going to start the interview feeling guilty because she knows she just left you sitting in the lobby for 20 minutes.

29. “Would you like to see my references?”

“Interviewing is a lot like dating,” says Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter of CareerTrend.net. “It’s important to entice with your value and attract them to call you for the next ‘date.’” Offering up your references too soon may hint at desperation. Plus, you don’t want to run the risk of overusing your references. (Via LearnVest)

30. “I just wanted to follow up—again.”

As with most relationships, looking interested is good, but looking too interested makes you less desirable. You may think you’re showing your future company that you’re ready to hit the ground running, but if you come on too strong post-interview (think “checking in” to restate your interest less than a week after the interview or double communicating—emailing and then emailing again without a response from the other party), you look less like a candidate they’d be lucky to hire and more like someone who’s anxious to leave your current role.

Credit : themuse.com

As a job seeker, it is important that you know the importance of a Cover Letter when sending in your job applications. Unless the job requirements demand that you apply with only your CV, you should always accompany a Cover Letter along with the CV.

Why? Because the Cover Letter is where you tell the hiring company or recruiting firm what you were not able to do in the CV, such as a gap in your work experience or a lay off. You are also able to provide information on who you are and what you are looking for, all in one page.

So, how should a cover letter for an IT job read? Here’s a sample

Sample Cover Letter For Entry Level IT Job

“Your Name Here”
P.O Boz XXXX – 20200
Nakuru

17th July, 2016.

The Human Resource Manager
XYZ Company
P.O Box ZZZZ-00100
Nairobi
Dear Sir/Madam

Re: Application For The Position Of ICT Officer
I hereby submit my application for the position of ICT Officer at your company. As a highly qualified IT professional, I believe my skills and experience in computer software and hardware configuration match the requirements you seek in this job.

Working as an IT support intern for 6 months at XYZ Company, I was tasked with various ICT duties that include verifying proper working of peripherals, integrating new technologies to existing systems and setting up as well as implementing system security policies for users.

This experience has presented me with the opportunity to better my problem solving approach and improve on my communication skills, which I am confident, will come in handy when dealing with clients. In addition to my degree, I am also a Microsoft Certified IT professional and believe I am the best candidate for this job.

I look forward to an interview where we can discuss the value I will be bringing your company. Please find attached my CV for your perusal.

Sincerely,
“Your Name Here”

Egerton University Alumni Association is pleased to announce research grants for 2016/2017 academic year beginning in September 2016. Scholarships are available for the Egerton university registered masters students in all academic fields.

The Egerton University main objective is to provide high quality, comprehensive educational and training opportunities that are compatible to changing needs of the students.

Egerton University is the oldest institution of higher learning in Kenya. Egerton University has made tremendous progress towards increasing access to higher education in Kenya. University mission is to offer exemplary education to society and generate knowledge for national and global development.

Course Level: Grants are available for pursuing research.

Study Subject: Grants are awarded in all academic fields of study.

Scholarship can be taken in Kenya

Eligibility: Graduate students are eligible to apply for Egerton University Alumni Association graduate students Research Grants if:

• He/she is a Kenyan Citizen by the time of application.
• He/she has studied in Egerton University for the first degree and graduated not earlier than 2012.
• The graduate student is in good academic standing i.e. successfully completed the masters course work.
• The proposed research project or activity directly relates to and helps achieve progress towards his or her degree.
• The graduate student should have by the time of application been registered as an EUAA Life member.
• One should Not have benefited from another Graduate school/EU council scholarship
• Letter from Graduate school confirming successful presentation of research proposal.

Nationality: Kenyan Citizens are eligible to apply for these grants.

College Admission Requirement

Entrance Requirements: He/she has studied in Egerton University for the first degree and graduated not earlier than 2012.

Scholarships in Kenya

How to Apply: Written application, enclosing detailed curriculum vitae, current Masters Transcript, Two letters of recommendation (one from the proposed supervisor and additional letters from the chairman of the department and copies of relevant testimonials to be submitted to the Alumni Relations Department on or before 24th July 2016. For More Information visit Alumni Relations Department.

Application Deadline: Application deadline is 24-July-2016.

In a perfect world, your completed assignments would speak for themselves. You’d work on friendly, collaborative teams with fair-minded co-workers, and each person would be free with praise and full of self-effacing humility. You’d never have to worry about self-promotion or navigating office politics to get your due.

But the reality is that you need to speak up. Generosity and a humble nature are great attributes to have, of course. They help you keep a team-first attitude, improve your leadership abilities, and generally endear people to you as a professional.

However, if you think you can just let your work speak for itself and never stake out that territory yourself, then being “the humble one” is hurting your career.

Here’s how:

1. It Makes You Invisible

Imagine this: Your team just completed a complex, innovative project, and you feel proud of your contributions to the group effort. But when the boss stands up at the company meeting to praise your team’s work, others are singled out for individual contributions while you seem invisible. If you’re a quieter contributor, everyone from your own teammates to company leadership may overlook you completely.

Why is this? People tend to be remembered for those roles rather than the exact things they did. For instance, the “organizer” will usually get credit for most tasks related to organization, because people will remember him as inhabiting that role.

If you take on tasks behind the scenes, your work may go unnoticed. And if you’re used to being humble, you think: What does it matter so long as the work gets done? Well, consider this: Just like you have a personal brand for your online presence, you also have a brand (or lack thereof) within your own work team. If you’re not known for anything, you’ll be lost in the shuffle when opportunities for advancement come up and no one can think of your strengths.

Solution: Carve Out Your Niche on Your Team

Step one: Pick a role you like. Step two: Make it known that you’ve mastered that particular skill or job. Take ownership of what you’d like to be known for on your team and look for opportunities to pick up projects or tasks involving that thing.

For example, maybe your work is rarely noticed because you sign up for roles that require execution, rather than standing up in front of the room and presenting. You can make that work, so long as your teammates come to depend on you for those tasks. In other words, make sure everyone knows that you have killer attention to detail, so for example, drafts always cross your desk before they’re considered final.

Or if you’re great at mediating different points of view, don’t just tell Tonia what she could say to Jim, share your solution with the group, so everyone knows you’re a strong facilitator. This way, when the final project is done, people will know you played a role.

2. It Makes You a Doormat

It’s a terrible feeling when someone else takes credit for your work. Whether it’s the bully in grade school or your backstabbing co-worker, this type of betrayal can be shocking and hard to respond to.

You’d think it would be less likely to when you like the people you work with, but it can happen to anyone. Stolen credit puts you in a sticky spot: At the very least you’re staring down a highly uncomfortable interpersonal situation. Not to mention, even accidental cases could harm your career.

But if you’re used to being modest, you worry that correcting the other person is counter-productive. So you remind yourself that “there’s no ‘I’ in team” and let someone else get all the accolades.

Solution: Share Credit, But Don’t Throw it Away

The first step to ensuring you get credit is making sure you’re not getting in your way. When someone compliments you, don’t shy away from it and gush about others. Think about the difference between deflecting praise and sharing it. It’s possible to believe strongly in your team and put “we” first while also mentioning your contributions, which allows you to draw and distribute attention at the same time.

Instead of: “Oh, thanks, but I give all the credit for that website to my team.” Try this instead: “Thank you, I enjoyed working on the UX. The whole team really pulled together to bring that site to life.”

If you regularly practice this sort of balance, you’ll be prepared to diplomatically respond to someone who takes credit for your idea by employing the same technique. You could say, “I was so thrilled to see John shares my belief that changing directions will be beneficial. It’s so nice to see we’re all on the same page!” This way, you’re crediting your team, but making sure you’re not cut out of the picture.

3. It Makes You Feel Stuck

It’s hard to find a balance between proudly claiming your due and sounding cocky—especially if you’ve never been one to talk about yourself. You want to be seen for your accomplishments and abilities, but without off-putting self-praise that makes people uncomfortable.

And if you’ve been in the background some time, you could feel that that’s what your co-workers expect of you. You don’t want to change team dynamics or be seen as having flipped a switch all the way from “humble and quiet” to “arrogant and loud” overnight.

It may even be that others are even resistant to your newfound desire to carve out a niche for yourself and speak up for your work.

Solution: Establish a Presence Outside Your Team

If your colleagues aren’t supportive—or at best, are just confused and unhelpful to start—consider developing a side project or independent work to showcase your talents. This can make it easier for hiring managers (or your company’s leadership) to see your contributions within the team’s work based on your individual abilities.

This could mean taking on a completely independent project or work, or looking for freelancing opportunities or volunteer work in your field. (Of course, always make sure your company policies allow freelancing before doing so.)

Once your co-workers see you accomplish something on your own, they’ll have new information to go off of when constructing their opinion of you and what you can contribute to the team.

Generous people who practice humility can get ahead. The key is to make sure you’re in control of how you practice it. Make it part of your brand within your team—a strength that makes others want to work with you. If you find you’re overdoing it to the point of being overlooked try the tips above to move back to middle ground. You’re an awesome person, I know this because you chose to read this article—so now your goal is to make sure everyone else knows it, too.

Credit : themuse.com