There's a bit of balance that needs to take place between being humble and knowing your own self-worth. Sure you need to know your strengths and talents and when asked-you have to tout those qualities! But there's a way to do it so that it is more effective and meaningful. So how do you maximize your strengths and showcase them in a modest yet effective way?
Personalize It
We had a speaker at one of our meetings who mentioned something brilliant that I hadn't thought about: the brain processes information in very different ways yet it processes visual things much faster than any other medium. That means if you see something, even if it's in your head, chances are that you "get it" instantly. How is this relevant? By painting a picture using examples you can personalize your story making it easier for you to get your message across and understood quickly and efficiently. Better yet tell your story in a way that directly connects you to your audience.
Paint A Picture Of Expertise
If you need to highlight expertise or a certain skill but don't want to come out and say you are "exceptional" or "highly skilled" you can illustrate the concept instead. For example, if asked about customer service expertise you can share an example of how you handled a situation-how you experience customer service and why it's important. By using a real-life example of where you excelled you can frame your talent. For example, if you worked in a retail store and wanted to emphasize your customer service skills you might ask "Have you ever been in a retail store looking for something and couldn't find anyone to help you?" Give an example of how you approached this with a customer and what you did to resolve the issue. Painting a picture of expertise isn't bragging but sharing information about what you accomplished. In the case of customer service, you get the point across that you care but also that you're willing to go the extra mile to make sure that your customers are happy. Chances are that customer will tell more people about the great experience. The person to whom you are relating the story will be able to vividly see your commitment your creativity your passion and your results.