How to Thrive as an Introvert in Corporate America | by Paris Scott
Extroverts tend to thrive in corporate America. Hiring managers and those in charge of promotions tend to look for workers who are socially confident, highly energized, and friendly. When looking at job postings, these traits are among the many things recruiters are looking for. According to John Hopkins University, anywhere from 65%-75% of the world's population considers themselves an extrovert. Interestingly enough, a study done in 2021 by Truity Psychometrics shows that 50% of the workforce self-identifies as introverts - Forbes. How can that be?
There is no right or wrong personality when it comes to being successful, so let’s look at how introverts thrive and get promoted within their organizations. Many introverts have been able to thrive and be promoted to high positions within their organizations. This can be done by understanding why companies look for extrovert-like traits in their employees. There are four main qualities to consider: the ability to speak up, share, lead, and connect with others. This is the recipe for success. By sharpening these four skills, an introvert can find success and still remain true to themselves. Let’s dig into these 4 skills to see how you can thrive at work.
1) Speaking up
An easy way to make your voice heard is to speak up early at the beginning of a meeting. This will make your presence known early on without the pressure of interrupting anyone else. Also, be well prepared. When heading into a meeting, be sure to know exactly what is going to be discussed so that you have time to organize your thoughts beforehand. It may help to create an agenda and email it out so that everyone is on the same page and you want to be caught off guard about any meeting topics.
2) Sharing
Sharing is so important to do. Many introverts get caught up in just doing their work without sharing it which makes all of their hard effort go unnoticed. This can be fixed by simply sending out a recap email to your team to let them know what your work week was like. If your team has a weekly meeting, try to be the first one to share what you have done. Be sure not to skip the details. There is no need to be humble about how hard you had to work to get a task done. This may take some getting used to. It may be helpful to try bragging to yourself in a mirror at home before sharing out loud. Always remember, if you can’t speak to it, write it out! Emails can be an introvert's best friend.
3) Leading others
As you climb the corporate ladder, you will have to lead others. Leading by example is always great but again this can go unnoticed. To combat this, planning in advance and communicating is crucial. Be clear about your expectations and processes. Many introverts do well with having alone time to digest information before sharing their thoughts aloud. Have a system in place so that your team feels empowered to reach out to you as early as possible with questions they may have. Again, the power of a thoughtful agenda will save you from meeting headaches. It is impossible to prepare for every single question that may arise, so practice and rehearse your response for when you need to answer someone’s question at a later time. An example response could be “ I'm not sure about the answer to that right now, let me do some research and I’ll get back to you on that”. Be sure that you speak with confidence regardless of what your response is.
4) Connecting
This skill is actually the easiest for the introvert to master. All you have to do is simply be yourselves. Many introverts do not enjoy small talk so lean into what you are good at. You are naturally a good listener therefore let people talk about themselves. Ask them engaging questions that you really want to know the answer to. The people you meet will value this so much more and are more likely to remember you in the future. And of course, remember their names. Your network will be so much more valuable than the person who only has surface level connections with so many people that they can’t remember.
Practice, practice, practice. When done, practice even more. It will take time to become proficient in these skills. Once you are able to properly master them, your career will thank you for it. Remember to give yourself time to recharge and set boundaries so that you don’t experience burnout. What are your top tips for surviving the corporate world as an introvert- I’d like to know!
Paris Scott is a Digital Marketing Apprentice at Google and writes for the Apprentice Lens as part of the Blogging Team. She is based in Atlanta, GA, United States. Here's more about her:
“Hello! My name is Paris and I am a digital marketing apprentice at Google in Atlanta, GA. In my current role, I work with an ads sales team that assists 10+ clients. I look forward to writing for the Apprentice Lens and being able to share my experiences so far. I truly appreciate the chance to express myself creatively since my current position doesn't leave much room for that. What inspires me most is music and my family. Thanks for reading.”