With most of us having been working remotely for quite a while, we’ve already learned to enjoy the freedom and the comfort of working from home. Going remote can be truly exciting—but unfortunately, self-promotion may not always come naturally in this setting. The work process and the way we communicate are different. So it’s no wonder promoting yourself as a remote worker should require a somewhat different approach than at an office job.
If you don’t want to put your career ambitions on hold and give up your promotion dreams just because you don’t go to the office, you’ve come to the right place! In this guide, we're going to walk you through strategies that can help you become promotion-worthy and get noticed by decision makers. Buckle up and let’s go!
1. Change the way you think about self-promotion
Are you one of those who limit the definition of self-promotion to showing off or being a “know-it-all”? If so, you might be struggling to present yourself as a valuable worker and, as a result, sabotaging your career. The good news is that self-promotion has nothing to do with bragging.
Put simply, self-promotion is being able to communicate what you've accomplished and how well you've done it to others. In other words, it’s when you are being honest about your work and your efforts, neither downplaying nor exaggerating them.
In this sense, self-promotion is a sign of effective communication, information-sharing, networking, and relationship-building—all of which are quite respected leadership skills.
2. Become an industry expert
If you have solid expertise and valuable experience with any of the many tools for self-promotion available online, establishing yourself as an industry expert will be a no-brainer.
By being present on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, you will be able to reach out and connect to other professionals in the field. However, just having a profile might not be enough.
You should consistently share valuable insights and tips and comment on other experts’ posts. In other words, proactively communicate with other industry leaders to build your professional brand. This way, you will eventually become a well-known and reliable expert. And believe us, an expert like this will be noticed and appreciated in any company.
3. Know your strengths and weaknesses
One of the best things you can do to advance your career is to make note of what you are good at. List your strengths and think of how you can leverage them to excel in your workplace. Maybe you have implemented unique methods or processes? Or perhaps you are quite good at structuring your work,or handling complex tasks under pressure?
Once you’ve done that, think if you have already used those skills in real projects and consider how they contributed to the success of those projects.
Keep in mind that you should be realistic and honest both with yourself and with management—so add your weak points to that list as well. Only by recognizing both your strengths and weaknesses can you prove yourself as a credible expert.
4. Tie your strengths and expertise to company goals
Knowing your accomplishments is good. But showing how your accomplishments helped achieve business goals is even better. So your next step is to think of how your strengths and expertise can be aligned with your company’s objectives.
For example, if your company is looking to increase sales, highlight any previous successful experience you have in generating new leads or closing deals. By aligning yourself with your company's objectives, you'll be able to demonstrate the value you bring—even from afar.
5. Check in with management on a regular basis
Maintaining a solid relationship with your manager when you're working remotely can be quite a challenge. More often than not, we assume that they know everything. However, this is far from the truth.
That’s why you should regularly update management on the progress of your work and eventually make it an essential part of your routine. Ask your manager how they want you to report on your accomplishments. Are they expecting to get a brief email summarizing the work you’ve done, a short update on the status of each project on your corporate messenger every now and then, or a full-on report?
Even if you don’t have any major projects running, the basic rules of communication are still in place so don’t hesitate to initiate contact with your boss. We’re all humans anyways.
6. Communicate the value of your work in numbers
Accurate data speaks for itself,so feel free to operate in numbers to showcase the results of your work. Has the project that you’ve been working on saved the business 5% of the budget? Or have you closed a record number of deals? Go ahead and tell your boss about it!
You can also add graphs and charts to your reports. Visuals will virtually always make your results look even more appealing. Top management would love it, so don’t hesitate to give them what they feel most comfortable with!
7. Become a team player
Success usually comes from working together,so don't be too quick to attribute all the triumph solely to yourself. Because, let’s be honest: You wouldn’t be able to do it all alone, would you? So make sure you acknowledge other team members that contributed to the project.
You might want to do it at the weekly or monthly group meeting, in a private chat with your manager, or simply by sending a message in a group chat.
This will cost you nothing, and believe us—it will pay off. You will be highly recognized both by the management team and your coworkers for the ability to notice and appreciate the contributions of others.
8. Expand your networking to other departments
When you network with people in other departments, you open yourself up to new opportunities and learn about different ways of doing things.
So next time you have a quiet moment, go ahead and introduce yourself to people from other departments. Attend an online company gathering, greet them in a corporate chat, or reach out to them on social media. Find out what your coworkers do and how you can benefit each other. This way, you'll build a good reputation with other teams, get their assistance when and if you need it, as well as help them out.
The more people you know, the better your reputation is and the more opportunities you have to advance your career.
9. Contribute to online meetings
When it comes to self-promotion, virtual meetings are a game-changer for those working remotely. Not only should you be present, preferably with your camera switched on, but you should also engage in a way that will contribute to the result of the meeting.
A few tips here:
- Check what meetings you are invited to first thing in the morning so that you don’t miss anything important or useful
- Check and double-check your role and what you need to prepare
- Speak up and engage if you have valuable comments or ideas
If you want to learn more about how to get noticed and make the best impression in a virtual meeting, check out this article.
10. Prove to your boss that you’re ready for more responsibility
When your manager's workload gets heavy, offer to help out. Taking on more responsibility will not only take some pressure off your boss, but will also show your commitment to the job.
Whenever there’s an opportunity, try incorporating new ideas, tools, and strategies. Stepping out of your comfort zone demonstrates that you're driven and open to innovation, which are qualities company leaders look for in their employees.
Summing up
When it comes to self-promotion, it's always important to act proactively, especially for remote workers. After all, you're not physically present in the office to showcase your skills and accomplishments. So your main goal is to make sure that your contributions are noticed and taken into consideration.
Now that you’ve read this, you’re fully armed and ready to start working towards your most ambitious career goals. Good luck! 😉