On the following page you'll find "Take 12," a set of questions to help you begin to think about your history: where you have been, what you are doing now, what you have to offer, and what makes you memorable. ... Before you write down your answers, read through the rest of this chapter. If you don't, you'll be wasting precious time and energy because first you need to understand how you'll be using your responses and turning them into catchy and immediately useable self-promotion sound bites and monologues. ... These questions can also be downloaded www.bragbetter.com. ...

1. What would you and others say are five of your personality pluses?
2. What are the ten most interesting things you have done or that have happened to you?
3. What do you do for a living and how did you end up doing it?
4. What do you like/love about your current job/career?
5. How does your job/career use your skills and talents, and what projects are you working on right now that best showcase them?
6. What career successes are you most proud of having accomplished (from current position and past jobs)?
7. What new skills have you learned in the last year?
8. What obstacles have you overcome to get where are you are today, both professionally and personally, and what essential lessons have you learned from some of your mistakes?
9. What training/education have you completed and what did you gain from those experiences?
10. What professional organizations are you associated with and in what ways -- member, board, treasurer, or the like?
11. How do you spend your time outside of work, including hobbies, interests, sports, family, and volunteer activities?
12. In what ways are you making a difference in people's lives?