Global Survey Shows Canadians Are so Modest They End up Hurting Themselves

Canadians aren’t exactly known for their arrogance or their brashness.

But as all millennials know, there’s no place for false modesty when it comes to getting ahead in their careers.

So it’s surprising to see that Canadians are feeling reserved when it comes to handing over our resumes.

More than half of the Canadian respondents in a new LinkedIn study confessed to feeling like they were bragging when they discussed their achievements – which is low compared to our confident cousins to the South (40 per cent).

And it may be no surprise to learn that women have it even worse – 25 per cent of them find it hard to talk about their professional achievements, compared to 19 per cent of men.

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Which is a little concerning, since 90 per cent of Canadians involved in the recruitment process agreed that clear communication of achievements is one of the most important things to look for in a candidate.

Even when they did share them, less than a third confessed to feeling proud of their accomplishments.

Plus, we’re a damn selfless bunch – over half of us said we’d rather talk about colleague’s achievements than our own.

Chandler Bing wasn’t the only one with a confusing job title (‘Transpondster’, anyone?). More than one third of Canadians admitted they find it hard to describe exactly what it is they do (36 per cent).

Perhaps that’s why we’re feeling a little anxious when it comes to grabbing the bull by the horns professionally. One in 6 Canadians said that if they met their dream employer by chance tomorrow, they would not be prepared to discuss their achievements and experience.

Sure, none of us want to be that guy, loudly bragging about delivering 100 per cent returns on investments before he’s even had a breakfast bagel – surely there’s a little wiggle room for us to own our successes.

While we may not be shouting it from the rooftops, Canadians are attune to the digital side of job seeking and recruitment. Two-thirds felt the online impression you made was as important as the one you make in person. Plus, a quarter of us were likely to share our triumphs on social media once we got the job.

Since more than half of us want a career change in 2016, perhaps it’s time to stop being so coy – because you never know when you could be networking.

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