No matter what type of job you have, chances are, you want to feel well-versed, competent, and confident in your role. You want to feel like you know what you’re talking about and know what you’re doing. We’re all human, meaning that it’s impossible to be perfect at our jobs at all times. However, if you’ve been feeling like you could use a confidence boost in your workplace, here are some simple ways to give yourself one!
1- Remind yourself of all that you’ve already accomplished that’s even the least bit relevant to your job.
Even if this is your first job in a new field, chances are, you accomplished something at a previous job/venture using some kind of transferrable skills or qualities. For example, if your people skills contributed to your success at your previous customer service job, they’ll surely come in handy at your current job as a therapist. If your time management skills were helpful to you as a student, they’ll certainly help you out as a teacher. Making these kinds of connections should help your current job feel less like uncharted territory. And the more familiar and comfortable you feel, the more confident you’ll naturally become!
I always stress the importance of reflecting on past accomplishments of all kinds, as it’s a great way to remind yourself of your own strengths. No matter what area you’re looking to gain confidence in (professional or otherwise), looking back at all you have to be confident about is a great way to do just that. When you know what you’re capable of, thanks to the evidence you’ve acquired, you trust yourself a whole lot more. Let this be a regular practice for you across the board!
2- Embrace the identity of a lifelong learner.
My post Why and How to Embrace Being a Lifelong Learner delves into this concept in greater detail. Whether you’re still a student or haven’t been in school for decades, learning doesn’t only happen in the classroom. Even the most experienced and skilled professionals you can think of are still learning about their areas of expertise. So, don’t be afraid to continue learning as you go!
Ask questions at your job—it shows humility, which ironically indicates confidence! (Read 7 Manifestations of Confidence for a breakdown of that). If you want more in-depth explanations than your boss or coworkers provide, you can venture outside the office. Do your research, find online courses (some are free or low cost), network, etc. It can be easy to feel like once you’re settled into a job, your learning is done. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The more information you absorb and have command of, the better for your confidence!
3- Take on new challenges when the opportunity presents itself.
If your boss or mentor wants to task you with something new, it probably means they believe that you’ll rise to the occasion. What better way to boost your confidence than proving that belief right? And as per #2, you don’t have to go into a new project knowing everything. It’s more than okay to ask for guidance as needed. By expanding your skills and capabilities, you’ll have that much more confidence in what you bring to the table.
The key is to take each challenge one step at a time, while being unafraid to ask followup questions. If it’s uncharted territory for you, it’s only natural not to have all the answers right up front. It’s even okay to make mistakes, ideally as long as they’re not too high-stakes (rhyme unintended lol). When in doubt, though, it’s better to ask than assume. Give yourself all the more reason to feel confident by handling your challenges with care!
4- Take yourself seriously as a professional, no matter your role.
Even if your job doesn’t feel “important”, or you feel like a beginner, your voice at the workplace matters more than you know. Your ideas are valid and deserve to be heard. Your time is valuable and deserves to be respected. My post Monthly Mindset Shift: Changing the Way You See Work might just help you strengthen these beliefs. As that post points out, there’s a reason why you were hired and remain working at this job. Your boss sees something in you that it’s about time you see in yourself!
My challenge to you is to switch your mindset from “I’m just a *insert role or rank here*” to “My role, no matter how small or new, contributes to the success of my workplace.” When you shift into this energy, the people you work for and with should feel it too. The more you respect yourself and your work (while remaining humble of course), the more those around you will too!
5- Check in with yourself about how your current job/career makes you feel.
If you have a persistent lack of confidence in your job, ask yourself why this might be. Are you in the wrong career path? Are you in the right career path but the wrong job? Only you can answer these questions by being brutally honest with yourself. Having a rough patch at work doesn’t have to mean you’re in the wrong career path or job. However, if you just can’t seem to find your groove after an extended period of time, it is a possibility worth considering. As per the popular quote by Alexander Den Hejer, “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.”
Depending on your circumstances, you may not be able to quit immediately upon deciding that you should. What you can do, though, is actively take steps toward being able to quit. You can apply for other jobs, work side jobs (or take courses) in other areas of interest, etc. Even if you can’t make a big picture change instantaneously, you can always make small ones that WILL add up over time. As someone who has changed paths quite a few times, I can say that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it. In fact, it just means you’re evolving and getting more in tune with yourself, which you should be proud of yourself for!
The bottom line…
Work isn’t always easy (hence why it’s called work and not play). Since it’s a part of life, however, it may as well bring us a sense of accomplishment. No matter where you’re at in your career, hopefully these tips helped you develop even a little more career confidence!
Leave a Reply