Confident Job Seekers Find Jobs Quicker and Make More Money
Simply Hired Staff
If you’re like us, by the time you’ve reached your adult years you probably have had more than your fair share of anecdotal advice, well-meaning, and the ever-popular colloquial saying. When it comes to finding a job and launching a career, this is doubly true. Everyone from quirky uncle Jerry to tipsy aunt Sophia has a recommendation about dressing your best, putting your best foot forward, or confidence being the key to success.
While we may not be able to get on board with grandma Ginny’s recommendation that a cocktail a day keeps the doctor away, we do have the scientific and real-life evidence to back up the fact that job seekers who are confident see bigger returns for their efforts than those who lack the same presence. It’s well accepted that candidates who appear, act, and who are confidence find jobs more quickly and earn a larger salary than their less-gumptioned counterparts.
This may seem all fine and dandy, but implementing and projecting that confidence is another story entirely. To that end, sit back as we address four helpful and easily implementable practices to help boost your confidence during the interview and job search processes.
-
Talk Yourself Up
At risk of adding to your quirky relatives’ list of too-vague advice, at SimplyHired we’re well agreed that positive thinking manifests itself in far better results than the alternative. During the job search process, it’s often easy for candidates to question what they did wrong or what they were lacking if they don’t score an interview or job offer.
Before showing up to an interview, take a hard look in the literal and figurative mirror. Identify key traits that you possess that any employer would be thrilled to have in their employee arsenal. Remind yourself often of the accomplishments you’ve already had in your life and identify the major strengths you bring to the table. Having these fresh on the mind will be a big confidence boost when meeting with that next potential employer.
-
Don’t Let Setbacks Get You Down
Along the same lines, successful candidates are often those who don’t let a few hurdles get in the way of long-term success. Not every application will be accepted and not every interview will end with a pot of gold and job offer at the end of the rainbow. This is no reason to dive into a self-pity induced pint of ice cream and movie binging night. If you’re feeling down, external disapproval can often be magnified beyond proportion.
The far better way to tackle rejection and frustrations is to think positively and engage in a little mental pep talk. Perhaps the fit just wasn’t right with a particular employer, but that doesn’t mean you’re not the perfect candidate for another position on the horizon. Having problems scoring an interview? The right opportunity just hasn’t come along. Don’t be afraid to engage in the critical analysis after interactions or failed applications, but use your conclusions constructively and be sure to give yourself a little love and pat on the back for all the amazing qualities and experience you do possess.
-
Get Mentally Prepared to Take Action
Job seekers who lack confidence are often paralyzed from showing initiative and putting themselves out there in the first place. Much like the ever lovable but grumpily oblivious Eeyore from your childhood cartoons, feeling down about yourself can have a crippling effect on your willingness to make an attempt in the first place.
While insecurity can paralyze ambition, a hearty dose of confidence has an almost immediate opposite effect. Instead of spending hours telling yourself why you’re not good enough or why you can’t get something accomplished, pull out the old “good enough, smart enough” routine and give yourself a pep talk. Have an obstacle in your path? Sit down and figure out a solution or an alternative way to tackle the project. Taking that first step will definitely see more dividends than never launching in the first place.
-
Don’t be a Worry Wart
Last but not least on our list of ways to become a confident job seeker, we’ve taken a quote out of your mother’s favorite playbook of colloquialisms. For those of you who’ve heard the phrase “don’t borrow trouble” will appreciate that worrying about what could possibly happen is one of the quickest ways to put a damper on your confidence levels and send your corresponding chances at scoring an interview or offer during the job-search process to the dumpster.
Sure, this piece of advice is easier said than done. For the most cautious or prepared amongst us, it’s easy to attempt to game the system and plan for all eventualities. There’s a fine line, however, between planning and busting your confidence by anticipating that everything will go wrong. Try shifting your mindset to one where you think of solutions to potential obstacles as being prepared to still succeed no matter what. If there’s a potential problem that can’t be solved, don’t waste your time and resources focusing on it. Do what you need to do in order to be a stellar candidate and the rest will fall into line.
As you can see, confidence takes a variety of forms and plays a large role in a job seeker’s ability to score lucrative employment. Use our tip above as a launching spot for your own personal self-worth analysis and watch the dividends grow exponentially as you advance throughout your career.
Article Updated from the Original on September 16, 2018
