Tips on how to blow your own trumpet
Talking ourselves up is difficult for most people. But there are ways to make it easier and do it better without nearly cringing to death. There are writing techniques, certainly, but also a way of viewing the activity that can help.
Talking about her successful bid to the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Discovery Fellowship in Funding Insight last year, Amanda Warr, who is based at the University of Edinburgh, advised applicants to “remember that the people you work with know what you can do, but the people who read the application know nothing about you”.
That is a great point. If you’re writing for people who know nothing about you, it’s your responsibility to tell them what they need to know. We are rarely called upon to give a full account of our career and accomplishments to a stranger, which is partly why it feels odd when we are. Modesty in front of people you know is all well and good—they will often already be aware of the broad outline of your story—but strangers are not in this category.
Golden mean
We are prone to taking our own strengths and achievements for granted. We undervalue or discount what we can do, wrongly thinking everyone has those skills. We then focus on skills we don’t have—again, wrongly assuming everyone else has them. It’s also worth knowing about the Johari window—a psychological model developed by Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham in 1955. For current purposes it worth noting that it says there are subsections of things about me that are not known to me—or at least are not obvious—but which are known and more obvious to others.
These phenomena show why you should always ask colleagues and friends for feedback on fellowship or job applications. They know things about you that you don’t, or that you’ve overlooked or taken for granted.
To take things into philosophical territory, it’s worth remembering that Aristotle didn’t regard modesty or humility as virtues. More than that, he argued they were vices. Claiming that your worth, value and achievements are less than they are is an offence against sincerity and truth, he believed. Of course, so is boasting and overclaiming, with the treasured ‘golden mean’ being a full and honest account of your achievements and abilities.
So, when you come to write a job application, fellowship application or a resume for researchers, you should do so knowing that if you’re giving a full and honest account of your achievements and abilities, you’ll have the spirit of Aristotle in your corner, cheering you on, urging you towards virtue.
Show and tell
I could tell you that I’m an experienced, effective research development professional with outstanding communication skills, and a network and profile beyond my own institution.
Or…I could tell you that I’ve got more than 17 years’ experience in research development. That I’m a former UK Association of Research Managers and Administrators research development special interest group co-chair, and that I co-developed a new ‘advanced’ research development peer-learning training course. That I’m an occasional Research Professional News columnist.
The first paragraph is telling. The second is showing. Even in the restricted space above, the latter is more effective than the former. But, because of a lack of space, I haven’t even martialled the ‘showing’ properly by ‘telling’ the reader why I’m citing these examples, what they demonstrate and why that matters.
But note already how the ‘telling’ version is generic and the ‘showing’ version is specific to me (and also easier to write because I’m just stating facts). Telling without showing is just assertion without evidence, which is a technique straight from the playbook of one Donald Trump. I would say that such an approach might have worked on a section of the United States electorate once, but it won’t work for you with the fellowship panel.
Lawyer up
One writing technique I’ve experimented with involves channelling your inner barrister. They are a paid advocate whose role is to make the strongest possible case for their client: you. As a responsible legal professional, they are not allowed to lie or argue in bad faith. However, they are allowed to assemble the best possible case and put the best possible spin on your skills and achievements. Not only are they allowed, they are professionally obliged to do so. It’s literally their (imaginary) job.
If your mind works in such a way that it can accommodate this slightly odd construction, then try it. Channel your inner barrister and let them take over the writing. Just as a game, as an exercise. Don’t censor, don’t try to reassert control. Just let them write and see what comes out. You might be pleasantly surprised by what your inner advocate has produced.
Adam Golberg is research development manager (charities) at the University of Nottingham
This is an extract from an article in Research Professional’s Funding Insight service. To subscribe contact [email protected]