Sitting through numerous employment interviews, trainings, and career development workshops, I was always met with a feeling of dread and exhaustion of the day to come. As an introvert, I would many times have to walk into these events with the forced persona of a natural extrovert. Each time successfully resorting to my introverted self. I would sit there checking off the topics I had listed on my mental "small talk" list, and do my best to be friendly and approachable. At the end of the day, I would be exhausted, and longing for a moment of solitude to recharge after the day.
I was always left with the impression that the more extroverted candidates and employees were the ones who had a special advantage and were thriving in their roles. They had a skill set to converse with a large amount of people on a verbal level, and network in a productive and responsive manner. I saw them as leaders, and their skills as ones to replicate.
As I looked up to these extroverts around me, I began to acknowledge some of my skills as an introvert that I had been ignoring. I always prided myself on my ability to listen to people, and communicate with them on a personal level. It was something that came naturally to me. My ability to listen tied into my strength as a mediator and a voice of reason in group settings. These were the qualities that were natural to me, and that made me feel like myself. The reason I was so exhausted and overwhelmed, was because I was trying so hard to possess a personality that was foreign and uncomfortable for me.
It didn't happen overnight, but overtime I slowly began to shed the wall of an attempted extrovert in the workplace and settled into being myself. As I let go of my fears and honed in on my personal strengths, I found that I began to thrive professionally and personally. I was also meeting more people who were similar to myself, and were having the same experience. It made me realize how many introverts were in the workplace, and how often we forget to highlight the beauty and strength that introverts bring as team players and leaders.
Now I use being an introvert as a conversation starter or a skill set during an interview. I highlight how being an introvert helps me thrive in a workplace, and how I can benefit those around me. It helps me to remain true to myself, and feel comfortable wherever I work.
I am always met with enthusiasm and support when I say this to employers. They often times provide me with ample opportunity to utilize my skills and make room for me to be a leader. It has allowed me to find places where I belong and feel the most happy.
