You Are Your Biggest Fan – 5 Tips to Master Self-Promotion for Scholarships, Job Applications and More

Ever been faced with the need to stand out from the crowd in order to achieve a major goal, earn the respect of your colleagues or apply for your dream job?

How about all our newly graduating seniors out there (high school, undergrads or advanced degree students); are you suddenly faced with the task of applying for your first job or have an impending important interview?

No matter your age or the task at hand, whether it’s a scholarship application, a job interview or responding to money making opportunities online, if there’s something you really want, you need to be able to sell your “qualifications” in order to gain the notice of the evaluation or hiring committee. Getting yourself noticed is the key to landing your next big deal.

So, what’s the secret to standing out? It’s simple really. Just remember, You Are Your Biggest Fan!

No one knows you better than, well, you. So, don’t be afraid to share your unique awesomeness with those you want most to impress. To help you out, I’m sharing the top 5 tips I’ve found for Self-Promotion that have helped my 18 year old son gain national recognition and awards that will greatly increase your success and help you in following your dreams too.

Be Brave

Don’t be afraid to look outside your comfort zone for opportunities. You have unique skills that others need, so be brave and creative. There are no limits to what you can achieve. Go for it, even if it feels like a stretch.

Be Confident

If you’re applying for an opportunity, then your audience wants to know why they should choose you. Don’t hesitate to toot your own horn and share all the reasons you are awesome. This includes personal as well as professional achievements. Just make sure they are relevant to the opportunity.

Be Prepared

Everyone’s time is precious. Know the opportunity for which you are applying and what is required for submission. Do some research into the sponsor or company. Make an effort to understand what they are passionate about. The information will serve you well, especially if you’re asked for a personal interview.

Be Friendly

Even with lots of scholarships or job opportunities available, the competition can be fierce, so you need to stand out from the crowd. Let your personality shine through your submission materials. Being friendly and open will help evaluators learn about why you’re a great fit for their opportunity.

Be You

Saving the most important for last, remember to be authentically you. Insincerity is easily spotted and an instant killer of opportunity. If you concentrate on sharing the things about yourself that are unique to you, you can’t go wrong.

If you need a little extra reminder of your awesomeness you can get You Are Doing a Freaking Great Job in paperback to help bolster your self-esteem along this path of self-promotion.

Now go out there, be brave, dream big and have fun!

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For a downloadable PDF of these top 5 tips that you can hang on your fridge or bring along as a reminder before your next big thing, visit my blog at Nan’s Daily Dose of Life and subscribe for more tips to true success.

I should say, this process of preparation has been underway for a while but has really started to ramp up as Frank approaches the start of his last semester of high school.

So far, we’ve had to familiarize ourselves with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), applying for colleges, visiting colleges, and deciding on housing options.

There’s good news and bad news associated with this task.

The good news – there are HUNDREDS of scholarship opportunities for new students.

The bad news – each one requires dedication and time from the student to complete.

I’ve been really fortunate that Frank is conscientious student and wants to succeed. Still, it has taken dedication and consistent effort on his part to make a dent in the application tasks.

In a later post, I’ll share my tips for finding and applying for scholarships.