How to Advocate for Yourself at Work

Being an advocate for yourself at work is an important step to taking control of your career. Here are a few ways you can practice self-advocacy.

Have you ever had an experience at work where you had to defend your decision making at work? Or have you gone into your quarterly appraisal meeting not knowing what you need from your manager? These are two different situations where you have to advocate for yourself at work. It can be a scary thing to do but it’s a necessary “soft skill”.

Know your worth

No one knows you better than you do. You know the work you do and the effort you put in to get the job done. Use this knowledge as solid ground to know what you’re asking for or seeking isn’t “too much”. Everything you’ve done up to this point is proof of how valuable you are, so use that as leverage when you need to. This is especially important when you have to advocate for yourself and speak to why you deserve a raise and/or promotion.

Keep track of your accomplishments

If you’re having trouble with the previous tip, keep track of what you accomplish throughout the year. Write down the projects you contribute to and what you do to make them successful. If your company uses KPIs to track success–make a note of every time you reach or exceed those KPIs. Review your achievements to give your confidence a boost and as proof to show you deserve what you’re asking for.

Set goals

Goal-setting isn’t just for the confines of meetings with your boss. When you set goals for yourself, you commit to your own growth and development. In turn, you show others that you’re a self-starter and can take initiative. Share these goals with your manager so they can help you advance your career and act as an accountability partner.

Be direct with your asks

No one likes when someone beats around the bush. Ask for what you want clearly and directly. If there’s a new role open that you want to go for, let your manager know you want to go for it and why. If there’s a process you think can be improved, call it to someone’s attention and share your suggestions. Set time aside to discuss things like this one-on-one. That makes it less intimidating for you and easier for the receiving party to give their full attention.

Be confident in your decision making

At my previous company, I got asked why I did certain things A LOT! It was so foreign to me and very intimidating so I often questioned my own decision-making. Over time, I learned that being confident in my decision making and speaking on it confidently was the best way to advocate for myself. Sometimes you’ll be asked about your methods so someone can get a deeper understanding of your process. In other cases, you may truly have to defend your decision as the right thing to do. No matter which situation you find yourself in, be confident in your decision making and don’t be afraid to speak on it.

Being able to advocate for yourself may take time but it is absolutely necessary. These actions may seem small but this is all it takes to affirm yourself and be your own biggest advocate. As long as you’re being respectful, you shouldn’t encounter any pushback. Self-advocacy can even open some doors for you that you didn’t think possible.

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Do you have any other methods for advocating for yourself at work? Leave a comment and share!