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Virtuoso (ISTP) Self-Promotion: Other People and the Road to Success

Darrell 7 comments
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The Self-Promoting Virtuoso

For an introductory look at self-promotion, please see our article “Everyday Self-Promotion and Personality Types.”

Nothing sounds less like self-promotion than fierce independence and a disregard for the opinions of others. But this can be where some Virtuosos (ISTPs) stand. People with this personality type may need to shift their loner perspective if they choose to enter the advancement game. But they are also adept at problem-solving, so this shift may be as easy as treating self-promotion as a problem to solve. If they choose to develop skills for marketing themselves, they will likely figure out how to present themselves in an accurate and useful way.

What They Have Going for Them

Virtuoso personalities tend to be lone wolves who take pride in their skills and their ability to problem-solve on a very practical level. While avoiding the rest of the pack may not seem to bode well for self-promotion, depending on the culture and the type of activity needed to succeed in a particular business, being a lone wolf can be marketed as a very attractive trait. For example, emergency workers often need to be people who can make decisions quickly and without a lot of supervision. When a position calls for an independent self-starter, by simply talking about the experiences that feel representative of when they were happiest on the job, Virtuosos will likely have already marketed themselves.

What Gets in Their Way

Virtuosos may come across as though they have no need to impress anyone. They are among the personality types least likely to say they care about the impression that they leave with a new acquaintance. This self-assurance that they don’t need the approval of others can be noble and a sign of a truly independent person. But the whole point of self-promotion is to market yourself, which is an obvious stumbling block for Virtuosos. Leaving a good impression is essential to an effective marketing strategy. If they are too obvious in their disregard for how others see them, they might be viewed as not caring enough in a broader sense.

Self-Promotion Tip

Other people matter, and they are often involved with one’s professional advancement. Indirectly, this can mean that other people influence the overall quality of your life. Virtuoso personality types do not have to grovel and throw away independence to be self-promoters. Still, you might want to explore what earns the respect of those who make important decisions in your work life. You might want to treat understanding other people like a skill that you can master and utilize. Chances are it’s not that you have an allergic reaction to impressing others. It’s more likely that doing so is not how you think about things, so the idea of impressing others slides off your radar. Raising your awareness of the importance of making a good impression on the right occasion with the right person can go a long way toward improving your skills at self-marketing.

Adding, Not Subtracting

The trick for Virtuosos interested in self-promotion is not about discarding their preference for a more solitary life. It’s about highlighting their independence and featuring their skills. It’s unlikely that people with this personality type would want to accept a promotion if it meant that they had to collaborate much or practice many prosocial skills in their new position. However, they might want to consider being social enough to demonstrate that they care about belonging to the organization. (Again, much depends on the organization. Some places may value a lone-wolf quality.)

So, Virtuoso, tell us how you really feel about self-promotion. We’d love to hear your opinion in the comments section below.

Further Reading