The most efficient status-increasing interventions are all about presentation.
Presentation is like a 100% bonus to the actual trait. When you are low on skills, it is better to focus on the actual skills, because beginners can learn fast, and the skills are useful for things other than signaling. But when you become good enough (not perfect, just at the point when doubling your skill again would take way more time than learning how to present it), it’s time to think about how you display your skills.
Also, consider how much your audience can measure your actual traits. If they can, too much exaggeration can backfire. If they cannot, sky is the limit. Or rather, the limit is their priors on “how likely am I to meet a person with trait X” rather than your actual trait.
Presentation is like a 100% bonus to the actual trait. When you are low on skills, it is better to focus on the actual skills, because beginners can learn fast, and the skills are useful for things other than signaling. But when you become good enough (not perfect, just at the point when doubling your skill again would take way more time than learning how to present it), it’s time to think about how you display your skills.
Also, consider how much your audience can measure your actual traits. If they can, too much exaggeration can backfire. If they cannot, sky is the limit. Or rather, the limit is their priors on “how likely am I to meet a person with trait X” rather than your actual trait.