From Imposter Syndrome to Confidence: How to Communicate Your Worth at Work
Imposter Syndrome is a bitch, isn’t it?
I was a quarter deep in my graduate school program, sitting in a female led mastermind group at 7am on Saturday morning before our classes started, and despite being admitted to Northwestern University and doing well in the program, I still felt like my experience didn’t add up to the women I was sitting next to.
I struggled to not only see my own value, but to articulate the value and skillsets I brought to the table. I simply just hoped they would see it in me. I didn’t understand how to explain all my work experience - a career path that included paralegal work, waterski instructing, staffing, and sales.
It didn’t look linear. It didn’t follow the “perfect” trajectory we’re taught to believe in. Instead, it felt like a mosaic—bits and pieces of experiences, skills, and lessons that had shaped me into the professional I was becoming.
And that’s the thing no one tells us: Your value isn’t in a perfect, predictable path. It’s in the way you connect the dots and tell your story.
You’re not lacking experience, you’re lacking the language to communicate it.
Too often - young and old professionals alike - feel underqualified or stuck because they can’t clearly articulate their career story.
But I need you to remember: You have the skills. You have the experience. You just need the words to frame it.
Imagine you’re in an interview. The hiring manager leans forward and asks the dreaded question:
“So, tell me about yourself.”
Your mind races. Do you rattle off job titles? Do you walk them through your resume in chronological order? Or do you tell them a story?
The way you communicate your career journey matters just as much as the experience itself.
The Power of Framing Your Career as a Story
Let’s say you’re transitioning into a new role—maybe from customer service into sales. You might be tempted to say:
🚫 “I don’t have direct sales experience, but I’ve worked with customers a lot.”
But what if you reframed it?
✅ “For the past three years, I’ve worked directly with customers—understanding their needs, solving their problems, and building trust. In that time, I realized what I love most is guiding people toward solutions that truly help them. That’s why I’m so excited about this sales role—it allows me to take those relationship-building skills and apply them in a new way.”
See the difference? You’re not changing your experience—you’re changing how you communicate it.
Your Career Story Is Your Personal Brand
Think about the leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals you admire most. Why do they stand out?
It’s not just their credentials. It’s not just their job titles.
It’s their personal brand—the way they show up, communicate, and connect with others.
A personal brand isn’t just for influencers or CEOs. It’s for anyone who wants to be recognized, valued, and remembered in their field.
So, what is your personal brand?
Your personal brand is:
The energy you bring into a room
The way you tell your career story
The value you bring to a team, company, or client
The themes that connect your experiences and skills
Here’s what a personal brand is NOT: Your job title, your resume, your college major, or a perfect career trajectory.
How to Start Building Your Personal Brand
If you’re struggling to identify and communicate your value, start here:
1. Audit Your Daily Work & Strengths
Ask yourself:
What tasks come naturally to me?
What problems do people come to me to solve?
What parts of my work excite me? What drains me?
How have I been able to help people?
Your strengths and patterns will emerge when you start paying attention to these things.
2. Identify the Themes in Your Experience
Look beyond job titles and focus on skills and themes that connect your experiences.
For example:
A paralegal, a waterski instructor, and a sales professional seem unrelated—until you realize they all require strong communication, problem-solving, and relationship-building skills. And sure enough - I have always been passionate about communication and training people.
Your experiences are more connected than you think. Find the through-line.
3. Frame Your Career Story as a Narrative
If someone asked what you do, how would you explain it?
Instead of saying:
🚫 “I’m in marketing.”
Try:
✅ “I help companies grow by crafting compelling brand stories and engaging audiences through strategic digital marketing.”
Or, if you’re transitioning careers, instead of:
🚫 “I don’t have direct sales experience.”
Try:
✅ “For the past three years, I’ve worked directly with customers—understanding their needs, solving their problems, and building trust. That’s why I’m excited about this sales role—it allows me to take those relationship-building skills and apply them in a new way.”
See the difference? You’re not changing your experience—you’re changing how you communicate it.
And because I am always here to give you actionable communication tips and templates, below are a couple examples of ways to communicate your personal brand – whether it’s in a networking conversation, an interview or workplace conversations.
For Networking:
🚫 “I work in HR.”
✅ “I specialize in helping professionals navigate workplace communication, advocate for themselves, and build stronger careers.”
For Interviews:
🚫 “I managed social media for my last company.”
✅ “I developed a content strategy that increased engagement by 40% in six months, boosting brand awareness and customer inquiries.”
For Performance Reviews:
🚫 “I think I did a good job this year.”
✅ “This year, I focused on improving our workflow efficiency. I introduced a new system that saved the team 10 hours a month, allowing us to deliver projects ahead of schedule.”
You’re not just a job title.
You’re not just a list of past roles.
You’re a whole, dynamic professional with a unique value to offer.
The moment you start owning your career story and communicating it with confidence, everything shifts. You will start to notice interviews become less daunting, the relationships you build will be more authentic, and you will feel more in control of your career path.
So, take some time this week to reflect on your personal brand and how you communicate your value. And when the next opportunity arises—whether it’s an interview, a networking conversation, or a performance review—own your story.
Because you (yes, YOU!) already have the skills and experience you need—you just need the words to express them.
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