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Self Confidence

Self confidence is an attribute which allows individuals to have positive yet realistic views of themselves and their situations. Self confident people trust their own abilities, have a general sense of control in their lives and believe that, within reason, they will be able to do what they wish, plan and expect.

In the graduate labour market, self confidence is a very necessary attribute; if you are not sure of your own abilities, how can you convince an employer of your worth at an interview?

One of the biggest myths about self confidence is that you have to be born with it. Self confidence is actually a set of skills that can be learned just like any other skill. It’s also important to remember that if you’ve had your confidence destroyed, it is possible to build it up again and become even more resilient.

If you want to become more self confident, you must believe that it is possible to change and you must be motivated to do so. You must identify some goals and then spend time practising new behaviours. It is also invaluable to gain support and encouragement from someone else.

Tips to help

• Sell yourself - practive by writing a 30 second commercial about yourself – list all your strengths and skills. Don’t be modest!
• Use assertive language - Avoid the use of “hesitant” words such as possibly, might, maybe, quite. Don’t start sentences by apologising for speaking.
• Body Language - As 55% of what you say is conveyed by your body, think about how you sit and stand and use eye contact and gestures. To create a positive impression at an interview, walk into the room with a good posture and smile, make eye contact, and shake hands firmly. Remind and reassure yourself about what you do well and how you match the job requirements.
• Prepare! - If you have done lots of preparation in researching the employer, knowing yourself and understanding the job role, your confidence levels will increase.
• Visualisation - try visualising a real life experience where you were successful and felt incredibly good about yourself. Bring to mind what it felt like, where you were, what you could see, smell and touch on that occasion. Fix this in your mind by visualising it every morning and evening for several weeks. You will then be able to recall easily that confident feeling in situations where you need a boost.
• Challenge yourself - Move out of your comfort zone at every opportunity. Try new things – you will pick up new skills and come to know that you can cope with the unfamiliar.
• Observe and learn from others who are confident - if you have a friend who is self confident, observe how they behave in situations that you would feel uncertain about. Then, try and act as they would. Use them as a role model.

For more tips and information on this topic, sign up for an “Improving your self confidence” workshop at CEEC.

The following website may help: http://www.mindtools.com/selfconf.html