7 Steps To Establishing Confidence In Your First Job
I’m going to let you in on a little secret: confidence (especially at work) is something that grows with time.
No one, in any career, walks in on their first day of work without at least a little worry or doubt. This is because being confident in your job is a process, and it takes a combination of practice, experience, and personal growth to get there.
If you’re reading this blog post, it’s probably because you’ve landed your first real job and are preparing to start, or you’re already in it. Although you may feel like you’ve been thrown into the deep end, take a moment to look at the big picture: you made it—you landed the job.
With time, patience, and a few simple steps like the ones below, you’ll be feeling confident in no time.
1. Try to relax
I know, easier said than done. If you’re anxious about starting your new job, just know that that’s 100% normal. The key is to just try to relax as much as possible. A first job is an exciting opportunity! And the thing is, anxiety and excitement can feel really similar.
When you’re first starting out, wake up early in the morning and allow yourself five extra minutes to calm down and relax before you log on for the day or head into your office. You can try breathing exercises or practice other mindfulness techniques to put yourself in a more peaceful headspace.
2. Be open to learning and feedback
As much as you may want to think and feel like you have to pretend to have it all together in order to appear confident, know that there’s something to be said about being open to learning and feedback.
On the one hand, it’s just a fact that you won’t know everything right off the bat. So being open just shows that you’re engaged and committed to learning. On the other hand, you’ll become much more confident, quicker, when you aren’t spending all your energy by pretending to know what you’re doing. Instead, you can dedicate your time to actually learning. Before you know it, real, authentic confidence will start to show.
Don’t dwell on being perfect, just focus on growing.
3. Lean into the things you can control
If being the newbie really makes you feel anxious, try leaning into the things you can control. This includes things like how you dress and present yourself, how you set up your workspace, how you organize yourself, etc.
By taking a little extra time to dress in a way that makes you feel good or creating a working environment that helps you be your best, you set yourself up for success. Plus, doing these things will help you channel your energy into things within your control, and that’s sure to give you an “I’ve got this” kind of feeling.
4. Get to know your coworkers
Here’s the deal: your coworkers are just people. It’s normal to feel intimidated or get a little social anxiety when you’re “the new kid,” but at one point or another, everyone at your job was “new” too.
Getting to know your coworkers can totally transform how you feel at work. Once you feel comfortable around the people, you’ll feel more comfortable at the job. Plus, by connecting with your colleagues, you can learn from them and gain insight into your industry, and feel better about asking for help when you need to.
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5. Stay positive
A positive attitude truly goes a long way. So, set yourself up for success in your first job by actively choosing a positive mindset.
Don’t beat yourself up if you make a mistake or don’t get something on the first try. It won’t help you to talk down to yourself. Your thoughts and actions towards yourself can easily become your reality, so choose to keep moving forward.
Applaud yourself for the achievement of getting your job, and pat yourself on the back when you make positive strides during the learning and training process. When you make mistakes, look at them as opportunities to learn. Don’t let the fear of failure, overthinking, and “what if’s” hold you back.
6. Look at the big picture
When you find yourself feeling not-so-confident, remind yourself that you were hired for a reason, and this brief period of discomfort doesn’t define you or your career. If you’re never uncomfortable, you’ll never grow.
Instead of focusing on tiny mistakes or worrying about inconsequential things, do little check ins with yourself to track your progress. Reflect on your first day at the job, versus one week in. Think about how you feel or felt at week one versus week two, and so forth. Before you know it, you’ll realize you’re learning and adapting better than you think. And recognizing that growth is key to giving you that little extra confidence boost.
7. Unwind when you’re not at work
You may think, “this step has nothing to do with helping me be more confident at my job…” But hear me out, it actually does.
When you finish work each day, finish work. Don’t take things home with you. If you made a mistake and continue to struggle with confidence, give yourself a break.
Instead, when you go home, be intentional about doing things or being with people that allow you to feel confident. This will help balance out your day-to-day routine while you continue to build up your confidence at work. So when you wake up each day, you can feel like yourself, and be ready to hit the ground running for more learning, growing, and building real confidence.
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Meet The Writer!
Hi there! I’m Lea Rose, a freelancer with a love for all things writing. I currently work as a full-time freelance writer within the spaces of travel and lifestyle. My writing focuses on sharing the positive impacts of travel with others, as well as inspiring people to be their best selves through things like journaling and mindful habits. If you’d like to check out my portfolio or work with me, head to my website, Written World, or connect with me on LinkedIn.
