Talking about ourselves comes naturally to us, but most of us still struggle with talking about ourselves at job interviews, or when filling out online summaries, such as LinkedIn. It’s important to build up a vocabulary of words to describe yourself professionally, so you can pull them out when needed.

Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Write a list of  your strengths

Sit down and write out a list of words or phrases that you feel best describes you.

2. Ask friends, family, and colleagues

Sometimes there are aspects of ourselves that we can’t see, so it’s good to ask those closest to us. Ask them to create a short list of words or phrases that they would associate with you.

3. Make the most of personality tests

Personality tests, such as Meyers-Briggs and DISC, can provide great insight into who you are. Rewrite the results of these tests in your own words.

4. Use LinkedIn Recommendations

Go through your LinkedIn Recommendations to see how others have described you. Pick out words and phrases that most resonates with you. If you don’t have any LinkedIn Recommendations, now is the time to get some.

So don’t clam up the next time you’re asked to describe yourself. Build up a vocabulary of words, and maximise your opportunities.