Note: This blog was originally published in June 2011.

I know a lot of people looking for jobs right now and have had some interesting conversations recently about credentials and whether  or not women tend to down play their credentials while men are more confident about their own. I admire the fact that many men are not afraid to pursue jobs and opportunities that are a stretch for them. I wish that more women had the same level of confidence.

During my career, too often I have seen very accomplished women stand on the side lines, doing an excellent job, waiting to get recognized, while their male counterparts are advancing because they unabashedly talk about themselves and their accomplishments. Hey – we could all take a page from that book and learn how to self-promote!

Finding a job that’s meant to be

One of my closest friends is very accomplished in her career – she was a high ranking officer in the Army, and she’s had incredible success in her corporate life, always a top sales performer. Yet when it comes to applying for jobs in the last 2-3 years, she has more often than not looked for jobs where she would be significantly under-employed.

We talked about these jobs during the interview process, usually with little enthusiasm, and then reconvened after they didn’t work out. Usually the conversation was “it wasn’t meant to be and something better will come along.” Yet even though she knew she was over-qualified and didn’t really want the job, she was still disappointed she didn’t at least get an offer.

She just started a job three months ago in her field of recruiting and she loves the company that she works for and the people she works with. And finally after a couple of years of looking at jobs that she was over-qualified for, she landed where she was supposed to be.

Be confident in your successes

Here’s what you can do to confidently talk about your accomplishments and credentials so you get noticed:

• Keep a portfolio of the work that you have done in your different jobs. Every job will have something worthwhile that you can build upon for your resume.
• Make a conscious effort to talk about your success to people – colleagues, family, and friends.
• Talking about accomplishments for many women feels like bragging and makes us feel uncomfortable. Get comfortable talking about what you have done.
• Don’t wait on the sidelines in your career while other people advance ahead of you. Make sure to talk with confidence and don’t under-play your accomplishments at work.

To your success!