Preparing to enter the world or work? Self belief is a great asset to have! Here’s how to tune into your self belief more and use it to move forward…
Everybody has a time when they lack confidence and belief in themselves. It’s not uncommon to have certain situations like exams and interviews that make you unsure of your ability in things.
However, self belief is something you can build up and it’s a great thing to have when looking for work opportunities. Read on to explore how to boost your self belief!
What are confidence and self belief?
Confidence and self belief are a little bit different. Confidence is something that can change over time. It’s made up of lots of things and you’ll likely feel it more when you accomplish things. It’s also something that you can culture and develop in yourself, even if you feel different inside (for example, keeping calm and confident in an interview even though you are really nervous).
However, self belief is something that you can have no matter what you feel confident in. It is trusting yourself to make decisions that are best for you and feeling encouraged to keep moving forward no matter what happens. That’s why self belief is so essential.
Why do I need it for work?
Self belief is important for work because you’ll need to believe in yourself and your ability:
- You’ll look for jobs that interest you and apply for the ones you think you will be able to do – or even ones you think might stretch your knowledge and confidence, but you’d be able to handle with the training and support you’ll be given!
- You’ll have an interview (or even go to an assessment centre) where you’ll talk about the things you do well and excel in, and you’ll need to show that you believe what you’re saying
- You’ll get a job and face lots of new tasks and goals that you’ll need to believe you can achieve, even if they challenge you
You can learn to show that you’re confident about your ability in your CV and interviews, but you’ll need self belief to encourage you to take steps towards your goals.
Tips for building self belief
Remember that building self belief takes time – it won’t be instant. But there are things you can do to build your confidence and practice tuning into your self belief.
1. Write down your strengths
A part of self belief is recognising what you’re good at. You don’t have to be good at everything (nobody is), but picking out key things to remember can help you feel better about your ability. Are you a good friend? Are you good at cooking? Do you aim to improve at something that interests you, even if you aren’t good at it to start with? Write down everything you can think of!
It’s also good to think about your strongest skills, behaviours and how your work experience benefitted you so that you have positive things to talk about in your CV and interviews.
2. Take a challenge
Having low confidence and self belief can make you want to avoid things. You might feel like cancelling a social engagement, not applying for a job you found interesting, or rethinking attending an interview.
Use opportunities to encourage yourself to do something that’s good for you or outside of your comfort zone, especially something you would have talked yourself out of.
Interested in a job but not sure about whether you meet the requirements? Send in your CV and see what happens! You don’t always have to have the full set of skills or experience to apply and succeed at getting a job. They’re things you’ll build along the way and you can show off what you already know.
3. Be kind to yourself
We’re all likely to talk positively to our friends who are in a difficult situation and encourage them to feel better about themselves. But we don’t always show the same kindness to ourselves. Does this sound like something you would do?
This doesn’t mean you have to only have positive thoughts – negative thoughts and emotions are natural and they can appear out of nowhere so it’s hard to remove them completely. Take the time to encourage yourself when you’re feeling nervous, and if you have a negative thought, try to notice why you might have thought it and turn it around into something kinder towards yourself.
4. Prepare!
Feeling nervous about an interview or can’t find jobs you think you should go for? Prepare as best you can – it’s a great way of relieving some of the stress and feel more confident about what is to come. For example, brush up on how to write a good CV so that you’re ready to apply for jobs, and learn how to ace an interview so that you feel more confident about your ability to present yourself well to employers.
How much does your self esteem affect you?
Self belief and confidence also both link to your self esteem (your opinion of yourself). They may seem like the same thing but they are all presented and affect you in different ways.
If you’re struggling with your self esteem or self belief and you find it hard to deal with the challenges you face, it’s best to consider whether you need professional help. You can find advice from mental health charities like Mind, and you can get support from medical professionals like your GP. Always prioritise your mental health and ask for help when you need it!
