Memoirs Q37: Can you share an instance when you had to Advocate for Yourself or others?

I can't really think of an instance when I needed to advocate for myself - or others, at least in a dramatic sense. I would, for example write reccomendations of a friend to others, or maybe even write a reccomendation in general for a colleague in, say, LinkedIn. So does that count? If it does, I would normally say how I know the person, his or her strengths - things taht would make them an asset ot a company that they are applying in. I don't stretch the truth either because I wouldn't want my own name dragged by some falsehoods - so I won't lie for anyone. I won't exaggerate, either.

But when you read certain reccomendations coming form others about me - reccomendations that I did not neccessarily ask for. Ones volunteered by them, I find the things that they say absolutely amazing, and I would love to shake their hands and thank them profusely. This is how they see me... and I am humbled by it.

You see, I don't brag about myself. I've never been comdortable raising my own image. I'd rather let my actions speak for me. I won't promote myself. Maybe during job interviews, I would expound on some qualities - explain my responsinbilities, but I focus on facts. No exagerations. If I have statistics or metrics to prove my point, I can use that. I would like to say that I answer with intergrity.

One example I can share about this was when I was reccomended by Lina, an ADB employee whom I worked closely with one year, but had to terminate my connection witht eproject once the comapny I was connected to ended it's contract of service with ADB. Lina contacted me ans asked if I was still interested to work with the project. I said yes, and she then reccomended me to I/ACT by virtue of my training evaluation metrics. She spoke up for me. Of course, I/ACT still interviewed me, but imagine your client saying they wanted me in the project. That was powerful backing right there.

One specific example I can give on advocating about myself was when the HR manager asked me what my greatest weakness was... I looked around his officew and saw how cluttered his background was and said, we have the same weakness - the capability of cluttering up work files. So I pointed out that yes, I tend to have that problem - just like him. It was the easiest thing that came to mind because I had a reminder right there, and it made me have a connection with him... some similarity. I did not brag, but pointed out that I'm not perfect either. In that sense, I advocated for myself by saying "we're alike and relatable, in that sense".