Three Online Habits That Helped a Self-Made Millionaire Level Up Her Career
Bernadette Joy, a self-made millionaire and CEO of Crush Your Money Goals, shares her three key online habits that have propelled her career and wealth. Having spent a decade as an HR recruiter, she recognized a common struggle among women: difficulty articulating their accomplishments. As an Asian American introvert, she also faced personal hurdles in self-advocacy. However, Joy leverages online platforms to confidently showcase her expertise, build her brand, and ultimately achieve financial success, offering valuable lessons for anyone aiming to **level up** their career, regardless of personality type.
Key Takeaways: Level Up Your Career Online
- Get Loud on LinkedIn: Regularly update your profile, highlighting achievements and expertise. Actively solicit recommendations to bolster your credibility.
- Let Others Sing Your Praises: Encourage colleagues and clients to share their positive experiences on LinkedIn. This builds a strong social proof of your capabilities.
- Create Value While Conserving Your Energy: Leverage content creation (podcasts, blog posts, guides etc) to address recurring questions and share expertise efficiently, reducing the need for repetitive interactions.
I. Get Loud on LinkedIn: Amplify Your Achievements
In the highly competitive job market, **self-promotion** often feels uncomfortable, particularly for introverts. Yet, Joy discovered LinkedIn as the perfect platform to overcome this challenge. She states, “**LinkedIn is the perfect place to document your accomplishments because it is public, whereas your résumé and performance reviews are private.**” Instead of passively waiting for opportunities, she actively cultivates her online presence.
Strategic LinkedIn Updates:
Joy emphasizes the importance of regular profile updates, not just for job hunting, but as a consistent strategy for career advancement. Her quarterly updates include:
- Headline and Summary Revisions: Reflecting the most recent accomplishments and skill enhancements.
- Content Sharing: Showcasing expertise through thought leadership pieces, articles, or insightful comments on industry trends.
- Recommendation Requests: Actively soliciting positive testimonials from satisfied clients and collaborators. “**Having others point out your strengths on the platform is a strategic way of saying that you’re awesome without actually having to say it yourself.**”
This proactive approach sends a clear signal to potential employers that she’s a **high-value employee** and isn’t afraid to actively discuss her success, positioning her for greater opportunities. This strategy isn’t just about job hunting; it’s about continuous career progression and establishing a strong online reputation.
II. Let Others Sing Your Praises: The Power of Social Proof
While self-promotion can be challenging, leveraging the power of **social proof** can significantly boost your career. Joy highlights the impact of LinkedIn recommendations, stating, “**I have more than 15 recommendations on my LinkedIn profile that have gotten me business opportunities that I otherwise wouldn’t have acquired.**” This isn’t passive; Joy actively encourages clients and colleagues to share their experiences.
The Impact of Recommendations:
The weight of a positive testimonial from a peer or client is far greater than any self-described accomplishment. Recommendations add legitimacy and credibility, showcasing not only skills but also the impact on others. They provide **tangible evidence** of expertise and reliability, making a far more convincing argument than any self-created statement. She emphasizes a proactive rather than reactive approach. Don’t wait for a critical moment to ask for recommendations; integrate them as a regular part of your career strategy.
III. Create Value While Conserving Your Energy: Content Creation as a Career Multiplier
Joy’s journey highlights the power of content creation in addressing recurring questions and efficiently sharing expertise. Originally overwhelmed by numerous “pick my brain” sessions about her student loan payoff strategy, she transformed this repetitive task into a sustainable solution: a podcast.
From Repetitive Meetings to Sustainable Content:
Initially, Joy shared her student loan payoff journey on Instagram, leading to numerous individual consultations. This became unsustainable, causing burnout. However, she cleverly repurposed her knowledge into a podcast, “Crush Your Money Goals”. This demonstrates a vital principle for building a career: finding strategies that are both effective and sustainable.
Content Creation Beyond Podcasting:
The principle extends beyond podcasting; it applies to various forms of content creation, including:
- User Guides and Tutorials: Providing step-by-step instructions for common processes eliminates the need for repeated explanations.
- Presentation Recordings and Summations: Converting presentations into easily accessible forms streamlines information dissemination across teams.
- Email Templates: Creating templated responses to frequently asked questions automates communication processes.
- Comprehensive FAQs: Directing inquiries to a central resource instead of individual responses conserves energy.
Joy’s strategy transforms her expertise into sustainable assets that continue generating value even beyond the initial effort. “**In a way, it’s like a passive income strategy. Put in the work once at the outset, benefit from it long term.**” This underscores the importance of not just creating value but also optimizing the efficiency of value creation. For introverts especially, this is a powerful strategy to make a significant impact without sacrificing their energy.
Bernadette Joy’s journey exemplifies the power of strategically leveraging online platforms to build career success. Her advice is particularly relevant for women and introverts who often struggle to confidently present their accomplishments. By combining a proactive approach to LinkedIn, actively encouraging testimonials and creating content, individuals can significantly amplify their impact and achieve professional goals efficiently while maintaining personal well-being.
