Survival Skills for Introverts

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Survival Skills for Introverts

• Career Opportunities Center
• November 22, 2009

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Overview

• What is Introversion and Extroversion?
• You Cant Be An Extrovert
• Strengths and Weaknesses
• Situations of Weakness Becoming Strong

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What is Introversion?

• Introverts are NOT
• Failed extroverts
• Shy (necessarily)

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What is Introversion?

• Introverts process the world internally
  (energized)
• Negative Positive

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What is Extroversion?

• Extroverts process the world externally
  (energized)
• Negative Positive

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What is Introversion?

• Introverts represent only 30 of the U.S.
  population
• The percentage of introverts in a group increases
  as the average IQ and/or Education of a group
  increases, almost reversing itself toward the top
• Noted Introverts

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You Cant Be An Extrovert

• and why would you want to be?
• Deciding to become an extrovert or an introvert
  is like deciding to be left- or right-handed
• Falsification of Type
• Carl Jung Theorized Supported by the research
  of Dr. Richard Haier of the University of
  California
• Short-Term Effects Increased irritability,
  headaches, difficulty in mastering new tasks
• Long-Term Effects exhaustion, depression,
  pre-mature aging of the brain and vulnerability
  to illness

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Introvert Strengths

• Tend to develop fewer but stronger relationships
• Good listeners
• Dont tend to follow the herd can make
  intuitive leaps easier than groupthinkers
• Sincerity
• Commitment to expert knowledge
• Stronger writing skills (letters, email, etc.)

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Introvert Weaknesses

• Appear quiet or withdrawn to extroverts
• Do not enjoy meaningless personal interaction
• Small Talk
• Telephone
• Meetings just to meet
• Feel like a fish out of water among unfamiliar
  groups of people
• Poor self-promoters

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Situations of Weakness

• Networking Events / Parties
• Career Fair
• Self-Promotion

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Networking Events / Parties

• Strategies
• Networking / Relationships are Important!
• Choose groups that align with an interest or
  hobby
• Get involved volunteer and leadership roles
• Arrive early at events
• Prepare canned questions / comments
• Introduction AND Escape
• Coffee/Refreshments Table Trick

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Career Fair

• Practice! Practice! Practice!
• Script out your introductions and escapes until
  you can be completely and utterly fake.
• Do research on the companies
• Introverts do better discussing OTHER things and
  things of substance/interest vs. small talk

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Self Promotion

• The stuff you think is no big deal IS
• Constantly update your résumé
• Think about what things youve done or
  accomplished on a weekly, bi-weekly basis
• The smallest of your accomplishments help build
  the bigger picture
• Brag when appropriate!
• Communicate

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Overview

• Develop the Skills and Strategies You Need
• Get comfortable with who you are
• Arrive early to events
• Practice and script
• Learn to speak Extrovert Watch your body
  language
• Use the phone even when you dont want to

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QA
Christian FerrisFerrisC_at_umr.edu