How to Build Self-Advocacy Skills: Your Path to Personal Empowerment

Believe it or not, talking about yourself is not as easy as others make it out to be. It’s a skill that takes both time and effort to master (you can use the best time tracking software to see how much time it can take ;)) Self-advocacy is most useful when applying for a job, but can also benefit you in many situations in both your professional and personal life.  

In the long run, having self-advocacy skills can open many doors for you. Although, for these doors to open, it is important to dedicate the time and effort to master the skill as early as possible! So, let us dive right in!

What is Self-Advocacy?

Self-advocacy is best described as the professional approach to speaking about yourself and communicating your worth.

Essentially, self-advocacy is the process of speaking up for yourself and your needs.

Self-advocacy helps you present yourself in a way that will make for a positive and lasting impression. Take a job interview for instance. Interviews exist to help companies distinguish candidates from the rest of the application pool.

There is only so much a hiring manager can learn about you on paper. They will see the interview as a way to understand how you might operate in a role and what your personality is like. As you self-advocate, you are not only speaking up for yourself but are also giving information to the interviewer about who you are.

Furthermore, learning how to effectively advocate for yourself will help you maintain professional relationships with coworkers and clients. Not only is self-advocacy important when looking for a job but it can be practiced throughout your daily life as well. 

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What are the Critical Elements of Self-Advocacy?

Self-advocacy is an essential skill that enables individuals to effectively communicate their needs, desires, and rights. Mastering self-advocacy involves understanding and practicing several critical elements:

1. Self-awareness

• Understanding your needs and desires: The foundation of self-advocacy is self-awareness. It involves recognizing your values, strengths, weaknesses, and the specific needs that must be addressed in various situations.
• Emotional intelligence: Being attuned to your emotions and how they impact your behavior and decision-making is crucial. This awareness allows you to articulate your feelings and perspectives clearly and assertively.

2. Effective communication

• Clear and assertive expression: Communicating your needs in a clear, concise, and assertive manner is key to self-advocacy. This involves using “I” statements, maintaining a calm tone, and avoiding aggressive or passive communication styles.
• Active listening: Effective self-advocacy is not just about speaking up but also about listening to others. Active listening helps you understand different perspectives, respond appropriately, and foster mutual respect in conversations.

3. Confidence

• Belief in yourself: Confidence in your abilities and rights is essential for effective self-advocacy. It empowers you to stand up for yourself, even in challenging situations, and to persist in pursuing your goals.
• Resilience: Confidence also means being resilient in the face of rejection or opposition. Understanding that setbacks are a part of the process helps maintain your self-assurance and commitment to self-advocacy.

4. Knowledge of rights and resources

• Understanding your rights: Knowing your legal and personal rights in different contexts—whether in the workplace, educational institutions, or healthcare settings—ensures you can advocate for yourself effectively.
• Access to resources: Being aware of the resources available to you, such as support networks, legal aid, or informational tools, can significantly enhance your ability to advocate for your needs.

5. Strategic planning

• Setting clear goals: Effective self-advocacy involves having a clear understanding of your goals. Whether it’s securing a promotion at work or addressing a personal need, defining what you want to achieve is crucial.
• Developing a plan of action: Once your goals are set, creating a step-by-step plan to achieve them is essential. This plan should include identifying potential challenges, understanding your audience, and preparing responses to possible objections.

6. Boundary setting

• Establishing personal boundaries: Clearly defining your boundaries is a key aspect of self-advocacy. This involves knowing what you are comfortable with and ensuring others respect those limits.
• Enforcing boundaries: Being able to assertively enforce your boundaries when they are challenged is critical. This may require repeated communication and the willingness to take action if boundaries are not respected.

These critical elements work together to create a strong foundation for self-advocacy, enabling you to navigate personal and professional situations with greater confidence and success.

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How to Communicate Your Worth

Essentially, self-advocacy consists of two major areas you need to master: KNOWING your worth and COMMUNICATING your worth. We’ll talk about the former in a bit, but let’s touch on the latter first. Communication is an essential part of self-advocacy (and is critical to success in business and in life overall).

If you struggle to communicate your worth, rest assured that you are not alone. For many people, it is not a skill that comes naturally. However, there are many communication skills and methods that can help you improve your self-advocacy skills, including but not limited to:

Practicing anxiety management
Doing self-reflection to help set your boundaries
Developing your listening skills and actively listening to others
Working on your body language to better engage your listeners
Learning to sharpen and simplify your messages, and more

If you feel that the major part of your self-advocacy struggle comes from the fact that you’re not as proficient a communicator as you could be, consider investing an hour of your time in going through this brilliant lecture from Stanford Graduate School of Business. You will learn the ground rules for being comfortable in speaking up and driving your point across:

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Self-Advocacy Skills to Implement in Your Daily Life

It’s one thing to speak about yourself, and another to be able to do so effectively and convincingly. As you improve these skills, know that this is a process and it won’t happen overnight. There may be times when you feel defeated and incapable when practicing self-advocacy. If you’re feeling this way, recognize that dedicating the time and effort now will benefit you later in life. Take a look at the following four self-advocacy tips and consider how you can implement them in your life!

1. Show confidence in your knowledge and expertise

A common mistake people make is doubting themselves when speaking out about a subject matter they are not experts on. With so many skilled people in the workforce, it’s also normal to feel underqualified and thus nervous during interviews or business conversations. However, don’t let this fact discredit your expert power. If you feel too much like an imposter, you might be subconsciously selling yourself short.

You can showcase your expertise by addressing questions like an expert. To achieve this:

1. Use a clear vocabulary and powerful diction. This will help present your professional side and that you’re serious about the role.
2. Over-prepare. Knowing your subject matter and doing the necessary preparation will make you come off more confidently than if you did not.

2. Address areas where you fall short

Addressing where you fall short and knowing yourself well will also help you self-advocate during a negotiation. This quick video covers all the basics of answering the dreaded “What are your weaknesses?” interview question without being insincere or retreating to a cliche:

When you apply for a job, you won’t cross off every box on the hiring manager’s checklist. However, this does not mean you will be taken out of the running for the position immediately. Knowing how to present yourself and properly addressing the requirements you don’t match can make a difference! 

Do your best to positively explain your shortcomings. For example, if you don’t have a certification that the role is asking for, you can dig deeper and see if you have any relevant experience that can act as a substitute. Your substitute should have something to do with similar skills within the certification. That way when you go into the interview, you can say you haven’t completed the certification, but you have professional experience in similar areas.

Editor’s note: Try and practice this substitution method before the actual interview, so you understand how to effectively communicate the idea and avoid coming off as insincere.

3. Have clear and defined goals that you can negotiate for

Self-advocacy can also help you reach your goals. To best achieve your goals, make sure to have a clear idea of what exactly you’re hoping to accomplish. This bedrock will make you feel more comfortable when putting your foot forward to negotiate! 

Let’s say you land a position and want certain terms associated with your contract. Some people have the goal of getting a higher salary or more paid time off. For your request to be effective, you’ll need to feel confident when talking with management.

Approaching a negotiation with attainable actions behind your requests will support your credibility.

The justifications behind your “ask” should be any qualifications that push you past the competition. You may have a higher degree or more experience than other applicants. Or, you have intangibles, such as incredible attention to detail or an uncompromising work ethic.

Editor’s note: Keep in mind that you may need to compromise. At the end of the negotiation, both you and your employer should be satisfied with the outcome.

4. Do not be afraid to ask for help

Part of knowing how to self-advocate is knowing when and how to ask for help when you need it. Learning from others is how people grow. While it is important to not sell yourself short, don’t let this stop you from reaching out to others for help. In this case, instead of advocating for your skills, you’re advocating for your needs.

If you want to learn more about the subtle art of speaking up for your worth, your wishes, and your needs, this brilliant Ted speaker shares some valuable insights on speaking up for yourself through a range of stories from his own life experience:

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Resources to Learn Self-Advocacy

Developing strong self-advocacy skills is essential for navigating both personal and professional environments. Whether you’re aiming to improve your ability to communicate your needs, negotiate effectively, or make informed decisions, there are various resources available to help you hone these skills:

Books and guides

• “Assertiveness Workbook” by Randy J. Paterson: This book offers practical exercises to help you build assertiveness, an essential component of self-advocacy.
• “Crucial Conversations” by Kerry Patterson: This guide provides tools for engaging in difficult conversations with confidence and clarity.
• Online articles and blogs: Websites like Psychology Today, MindTools, and Forbes often publish articles on self-advocacy techniques, communication strategies, and personal development.

Workshops and seminars

• Local community centers and educational institutions: Many offer workshops on communication skills, assertiveness, and conflict resolution, all of which are key to effective self-advocacy.
• Professional development programs: Organizations often host seminars on self-advocacy within the workplace, focusing on career advancement, negotiating salaries, and setting boundaries.

Online courses and webinars

• Coursera and Udemy: These platforms offer courses on topics like negotiation, communication, and leadership—all of which contribute to strong self-advocacy.
• YouTube tutorials: Channels dedicated to personal development frequently feature videos on self-advocacy, covering everything from speaking up in meetings to managing interpersonal relationships.

Support groups and communities

• Online forums: Communities like Reddit or specialized Facebook groups can provide a space to share experiences, seek advice, and learn from others’ self-advocacy journeys.
• Professional networks: Joining industry-specific groups on LinkedIn or attending networking events can help you practice and refine your self-advocacy skills in a supportive environment.

Mentorship and coaching

• Find a mentor: A mentor can offer personalized guidance on self-advocacy, drawing from their own experiences and providing feedback on your progress.
• Life coaching: Coaches specializing in personal development can help you set goals, overcome barriers, and build the confidence needed to advocate for yourself effectively.

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Self-Advocacy: The Bottom Line

Developing self-advocacy skills can make an immense difference both professionally and personally. People often mistake being social for knowing how to self-advocate, but these are two different skills. Knowing how to self-advocate is a skill that takes practice and effort to master. 

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Advocate for yourself in a job search – is knowing how to communicate your worth and presenting yourself in a positive light. Although it may take time, try to practice some of the skills listed above throughout your daily life. As you actively make an effort to develop your skills, the quicker they will become a habit.