There's a right way to boast about yourself! Examples and tips

When you work hard on a project or achieve a professional goal, it’s understandable that you want some recognition for it. But what if no one gives it to you? Sometimes, it’s acceptable to be your own hype person and brag about your success—as long as you do it tactfully.

This guide will show you how to brag about yourself in the workplace. We’ll discuss:

• Tips for boasting about your achievements gracefully

• Boasting examples about yourself that you can use in the workplace

• When it’s acceptable to brag about yourself (and when it’s not)

How to brag about yourself at work

There’s a right way to discuss your achievements in the workplace. Follow these tips to boast about yourself with grace:

Acknowledge your success

If you go above and beyond on a project, acknowledge your hard work. For example, you might talk yourself up if you stay late to finish a rush assignment or provide exceptional service to a difficult customer. Share your success with your manager at your next check-in or mention your extra effort at a team meeting.

Also, don’t dismiss your hard work when someone else notices. If your boss thanks you for tackling a tough assignment, for example, accept their praise without downplaying your efforts. For example, when accept praise from a manager:

• “Thanks for acknowledging my work on that project, Joan. It was my first time taking a leadership role on the team, and I’m really proud of myself for managing the extra responsibilities.”

Express gratitude

Sharing your achievements can come across as self-centered when you don’t express gratitude. Consider why you had the opportunity to be successful. For example, maybe your manager recommended you for a promotion, or maybe the department director approved the budget for your project. When boasting about your accomplishments, remember to express your gratitude for the opportunities you’ve had. For example,

• “My team members nominated me for the Employee of the Month award. I’m grateful to work with people who believe in lifting others up.”

Give others credit

There might be times when you succeed entirely on your own, but chances are, other people had a hand in your success. Give others credit where it’s due. When talking about a successful project outcome, for example, mention the team member who shared their technical expertise with you. Recognizing others for their contributions shows you’re confident enough to share the spotlight with those who deserve it.

• “I may have taken the lead on the event, but the whole team worked hard to make it a success. Evette handled all the scheduling details, and Joe and Bridget arrived early to set up the venue. This event would not have been possible without their efforts.”

Keep it brief

When talking about the great work you’ve done, keep it short and simple. Mention the outcome and share one or two details about how you achieved it. In a professional situation, focusing too much on your accomplishments can make you appear arrogant.

If you tend to overshare when you get nervous, ask a question to shift the focus onto someone else. For example, at a networking event, you might share one of your top achievements and then ask another person about their professional success.

• “I’ve successfully helped over a dozen clients achieve their marketing goals. I’m good at analyzing a client’s brand and crafting campaigns that speak to their target audience. What strategies do you use to ensure successful campaigns?”

Avoid humblebragging

A humblebrag is a supposedly modest or self-deprecating statement that’s actually meant to boast about yourself. Consider these examples of humblebrags:

• I can’t believe I got a promotion after only six months. I’m not sure I earned it!

• It’s so hard to schedule multiple job interviews during the week.

• I wish I wasn’t always the person they trusted to handle the tough assignments.

Instead of making you appear humble, this type of bragging can be a huge turnoff. Be aware of times when you’re purposely complaining or being falsely modest to make others aware of your success. If you feel like you deserve acknowledgement, take a direct approach instead.

• “I got promoted after six months because I took on extra work and proved that I could manage tight deadlines. I’m proud of this accomplishment!”

When to brag about yourself at work

In some situations, it’s acceptable—and even encouraged—to brag about yourself. Feel free to sing your own praises in these scenarios:

• During a job interview. A job interview is a chance to discuss your career achievements. Just make sure you’re honest about the successes you’ve had.

• At a networking event. When meeting other professionals in your field, it’s acceptable to discuss a few of your top accomplishments. At the same time, ask others about themselves so you don’t dominate the conversation.

• In a performance review. Ideally, your manager already knows about the hard work you do. If not, use a performance review to share your successes and explain how you achieved them.

When not to brag about yourself at work

Just like there’s a right time to brag about yourself, there’s a wrong time, too. Refrain from discussing your own achievements after someone else gets some praise. For example, if your manager specifically mentions a team member’s success in a meeting, it’s probably not the right time to put the spotlight on yourself. Additionally, brag about yourself during times when others can focus on your success. If your manager is rushing to meet a deadline, for example, don’t schedule a check-in to boast about your recent accomplishment.

Want to make sure you brag about yourself the right way in your next interview? Get some useful feedback and advice by using Career.io’s Interview Prep tool!

Key takeaways

1. When bragging about yourself at work, keep it brief, express gratitude, and recognize others so you don’t appear arrogant.

2. Avoid humblebragging in the workplace. Instead, be direct about your achievements.

3. Some acceptable times to brag about yourself include a job interview, networking event, and performance review.