Member-only story
Shy? Introverted? Here’s How You Can Work in an Extroverted Sector.
Working in HR was the best thing for my stutter.
“How are you going to work in HR when you can barely say hello without stumbling?”
Yes, that was pretty harsh coming from my mom, but she had a point. HR. Human Resources. Interacting with humans. Talking to humans. Presenting myself to humans. A sector that’s completely focused on working with people. My job is very much made for extroverts.
For years, I avoided talking to people. I shied away from presentations. I wanted the ground to swallow me up anytime anyone asked me to introduce myself.
Have I stopped stuttering? No, I will probably always stumble over my words. But I realized a few things working in HR that have made me much more comfortable with both myself and others. I became a strong communicator and connector, despite my stutter. I found my own way of interacting with people and realized that I have a gift. I’m good at making people feel comfortable.
The more I pushed myself and got “out there,” the better I felt about my ability to get my work done, despite my stutter and shy nature. The challenges I faced forced me to become a better version of myself. I had no choice. Either I stepped up and spoke to this very senior candidate, who was asking for a call to learn…
