{"id":633,"date":"2026-11-02T10:00:20","date_gmt":"2026-11-02T10:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/fassemployabilityhub\/?p=633"},"modified":"2026-08-07T11:32:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T10:32:47","slug":"the-importance-of-self-advocacy-asking-for-what-you-need-at-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/fassemployabilityhub\/2026\/11\/02\/the-importance-of-self-advocacy-asking-for-what-you-need-at-work\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Self-Advocacy: Asking for What You Need at Work"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Starting a new role or progressing in your career often requires more than just doing the job well. Being able to confidently express your needs and boundaries (whether it\u2019s about workload, resources, or development opportunities) is an essential skill known as self-advocacy. For students and graduates from the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (FHASS), mastering this art can lead to better job satisfaction, improved performance, and stronger professional relationships.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is Self-Advocacy?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Self-advocacy means recognising your own needs and communicating them clearly and respectfully. It\u2019s about taking responsibility for your wellbeing and career growth, rather than waiting for others to notice or guess what you require.<\/p>\n<p>This can include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Asking for flexible working arrangements<\/li>\n<li>Requesting training or mentoring<\/li>\n<li>Setting boundaries to manage workload<\/li>\n<li>Seeking feedback to improve your performance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why is Self-Advocacy Important?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In many workplaces, people don\u2019t automatically know what you need to succeed. Being proactive helps prevent misunderstandings and reduces stress caused by unmet expectations. It also demonstrates confidence and professionalism, qualities valued by employers.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>How to Advocate for Yourself Effectively<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong> Understand Your Needs Clearly: <\/strong>Before speaking up, reflect on what you genuinely require to perform well or feel supported. Being specific helps others understand and respond appropriately.<\/li>\n<li><strong> Choose the Right Moment: <\/strong>Timing matters. Look for opportunities such as one-to-one meetings or performance reviews where conversations about your needs are expected and welcomed.<\/li>\n<li><strong> Use Clear, Positive Language: <\/strong>Frame your requests constructively. For example, instead of saying \u201cI\u2019m overwhelmed,\u201d try \u201cI\u2019m currently managing several tasks and would like to discuss prioritising them to maintain quality.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><strong> Provide Context and Solutions: <\/strong>Explain why your request is important and, if possible, suggest how it could work. This shows initiative and helps your manager see the benefits for the team as well as yourself.<\/li>\n<li><strong> Be Open to Feedback: <\/strong>Sometimes, you may need to negotiate or adjust your request. Being flexible and willing to listen strengthens your position and builds trust.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Building Confidence in Self-Advocacy<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If speaking up doesn\u2019t come naturally, start small. Practice expressing your needs in low-stakes situations, such as group projects or volunteering roles. Over time, your confidence will grow, making workplace conversations easier.<\/p>\n<p>Remember, advocating for yourself isn\u2019t about demanding favours, it\u2019s about creating conditions where you can do your best work and develop professionally.<\/p>\n<p>Developing self-advocacy skills early in your career sets you up for greater autonomy and satisfaction. By communicating your needs clearly and respectfully, you help build a workplace environment where everyone can thrive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Starting a new role or progressing in your career often requires more than just doing the job well. Being able to confidently express your needs and boundaries (whether it\u2019s about workload, resources, or development opportunities) is an essential skill known as self-advocacy. For students and graduates from the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (FHASS), mastering this art can [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":729,"featured_media":634,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[23,39,71,72,70],"class_list":["post-633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career-development","tag-skills","tag-work-experience","tag-workplace-ettiquette","tag-workplace-realities","tag-workplace-tips"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/fassemployabilityhub\/files\/2026\/08\/Hero-IMHA-Advocacy.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/fassemployabilityhub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/633","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/fassemployabilityhub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/fassemployabilityhub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/fassemployabilityhub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/729"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/fassemployabilityhub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=633"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/fassemployabilityhub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/633\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":636,"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/fassemployabilityhub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/633\/revisions\/636"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/fassemployabilityhub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/634"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/fassemployabilityhub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/fassemployabilityhub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/fassemployabilityhub\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}