Originally shared via email. For early access to UN job search success tips and advice, subscribe to the newsletter here.

"Selling yourself" is a common struggle among great candidates.

The discomfort of possibly exaggerating often leads to understating accomplishments, which is how good people end up unintentionally lying in their applications.

Sounds harsh?

I get that it's more culturally acceptable to be modest than boastful, but I will claim that both are deviations from the truth.

I'm not suggesting you "just get used to it" and start exaggerating. Rather, I suggest that everyone aims to stick to the straight and narrow – the facts.

Here is how:

1. Step back and ask yourself, "what are the facts here?" Did I do X? Did I achieve Y? Would my colleagues/manager agree? If yes, move on to step 2;
2. Avoid/remove subjective adjectives and adverbs like "successfully", "excellent", and "expertly." Such words don't add value anyway when we use them about ourselves. Not using them leaves us with facts. Then;
3. Use concrete data and clear descriptions, rather than vague or generic ones.

Here’s an example:

"Selling yourself":

Successfully managed a high-profile project from inception to completion, demonstrating excellent application of project management expertise to deliver on time and within budget, resulting in a great increase in client satisfaction and a significant reduction in costs.

Focusing on facts:

Managed a $2M project from inception to completion, applying current best practices in project management, enabling my team of four and our implementing partners to deliver on time and within budget, resulting in a 20% increase in client satisfaction and a 13% reduction in costs.

See the difference?

Wishing you clarity and confidence as you craft your applications,