@HESITANT: I get work done. But I want to be a manager someday. In my head, I want to guide people and have more say in decisions. But in real life, I don’t know how to get there. My teammates are very smart. Most of them came from big universities. They speak clearly, they explain things well, they know how to make people listen. I graduated with honors, but from a small school. My English is not that good. I always feel like I’m not enough. Sometimes I stay quiet even when I have something to say. I just wait, hoping the bosses will notice. But maybe I’m not giving them a reason to. How do I know if I even belong to that level?
DJ: I can imagine how it feels when you walk into a room where everyone speaks like a TED Talk, are confident thinkers, people who came from schools that open doors just by name-drop. It can make you feel like you’re a guest in someone else’s world. But here’s the hard truth: your dream job is not stalking you on LinkedIn. It’s not going to message you, “Hey, are you free for that promotion?” Go for it!
Among the things I’d tell my younger self is if there’s that one job that fits my calling, it’s not going to find me just because I’m quietly competent. It won’t also fall into my lap because I’m nice, hardworking and full of potential. I have to show up for it before it ever sees me.
You work hard. You care. You made it into a competitive team without the big-name school or polished accent. But guess what? You didn’t just survive. You stayed. That’s not luck. That’s skill. And maybe with a little caffeine, too. Believe that you belong. And you can take the next step.
Fluency is a skill, not a gift. And like any skill, it improves with consistent effort. Watch movies not just to chill but to learn how good communicators speak. Pay attention to news anchors or talk show hosts. Observe how they deliver information. Structure, tone, pacing. There are also tons of helpful resources on YouTube. “Speak English with Vanessa” is a channel that can teach you conversational, warm and super practical ways of communicating. Not like the textbooks. You’ll pick up more phrases, expressions you can use in daily and work settings.
In presenting ideas, I keep a few questions in mind: What’s the point? Why does it matter? What should happen next? If these are clear in my head, it’s easier to explain them clearly to others. I usually prepare a few bullet points beforehand. Nothing fancy. A full script gets me too fixated on how to say things instead of what I need to say. Just a map. I think of one or two ways to say my key message. That way, I’m not stressing about grammar mid-sentence. I’m more focused on getting the idea across.
The best speakers in the room are not always the loudest. The quiet ones are often thinking. Not glitching. Just raise your hand. Say your piece. You’re smart. You earned your seat at the table. You didn’t sneak in through the pantry, right? And don’t be so caught up about using the right tense. It’ll only make you tense! Let people witness your sincerity, clarity and insight.
For introverts like me, networking can feel forced or just plain intimidating. I’m just out there smiling and my social battery goes down to four percent. What if I don’t belong? What if I say the wrong thing? What if I don’t have anything to say? But here’s what I learned -- growth doesn’t wait for confidence. It comes with consistency. Read it again. And again.
For now, what matters more is being seen, heard and understood. Not being perfect. Nobody is. The goal is to let your colleagues and leaders see who you are – someone who is present, growing and worth investing in. All the best!