It’s completely normal to have a bit of self doubt when it comes to your career, it helps with self improvement and can also keep you grounded if you channel it correctly. However, if your lack of confidence is ultimately preventing you from progressing or applying for jobs then you need to tackle the problem head on, as it won’t just go away.
Having confidence in your ability is important for many reasons and without it you can quite easily stall your career, opportunities and ambition. This is why we wanted to discuss what you can do to help tackle the issue of a lack of confidence, with the aim of helping you regain confidence in your ability and ultimately get you applying for jobs that you are more than capable of doing!
Write your CV
Do you find yourself flicking from job to job on a job board, looking at the requirements and thinking “hmm I don’t think I can do that” but in fact it’s stuff you have done or are doing? Well, stop what you’re doing!!
The best piece of advice we can give you, if this is happening, is to put together an up to date version of your CV. Take your time writing it out, get a few job specs that you like the look of and tailor your CV to match the jobs. We have absolutely no doubt that when you are done with this process, you will realise that you are a very good fit for the roles.
Remember, in an ideal world an employer would want a candidate that can tick every single box on the job spec. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to find, so they are willing to compromise, within reason. So even if you can’t tick every single box when it comes to the requirements, you should still apply!
Write down a list of your professional accomplishments
One of the best ways to combat a lack of confidence is to write down all of the great things you have achieved in your career to date. From projects worked on to promotions earned and everything in between.
It’s very easy to become completely consumed by a lack of confidence, resulting in you quickly forgetting your achievements. Give yourself an ego stroke by writing them all down and see if that helps! Plus, on any good CV there will always be a section where you list out your accomplishments next to each of your roles. So by listing out all of your accomplishments you are also helping to write your CV.
Exercise
Regular exercise is genuinely one of the best things you can do to help you when it comes to self-confidence. Research has shown that exercise can significantly increase self-confidence, as exercise enhances our mood and puts our mind in a more positive state. There is no excuse to not exercise, even if you hate running or going to gym, you can easily do a basic workout at home. It really can be a simple as push ups, sit ups, squats. Body weight exercises are great because you can do them pretty much anywhere.
Speak to someone
Find someone who you completely trust and talk to them. It’s amazing how simply speaking out about your issue can really help lift a weight. Another good thing to do is run through a job spec of a job you like the look of and talk the person through it. During this process raise the areas of the duties and requirements where you feel you’re not capable and talk about them. It’s far more difficult to get over your lack of confidence alone, so speak to people and let them help boost your confidence.
Just go for it!
Sometimes you’ve just got to grab the bull by the horns and just go for it. Find a job that you love the look of, tailor your CV to the job and just apply.
Looking for a new job?
We have a huge number of great opportunities with great employers across the construction, civils, rail, power and telecoms sectors. Search our current construction jobs, civils jobs, rail jobs, power jobs and telecoms jobs.
Get in touch with our recruitment specialists
If you are keen to discuss your current situation and want to find out how we can help you make your next career step then get in touch with our team of recruitment experts. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you and your career progress.
Need more tips on writing an impactful CV?
Writing a great CV is crucial to make a positive impression on potential employers or recruiters. A CV is an important tool for you to share your experience and highlight why you should be considered for the role you are applying for and to ultimately secure an interview.
In this article we have shared some tips on what to include on your CV, that will help make your CV stand out and help the person reading your CV quickly see that you have the relevant knowledge and experience.
Sectors we specialise in supplying
We are a specialist recruitment agency who are experts in finding the right job for the right candidate. So if you are in a position where you are ready to look at new job opportunities and want to find out about the sectors we work in and how we can help you, select from the below options to find out more;
