When looking for jobs, you might find the competition intimidating. It is common to be concerned about other applicants who you think might be better than you. Of course, you don’t know this is true. To conquer this fear, begin by scrutinizing your job responsibilities. Think about the impact you had or have on your job and how you get along with colleagues. This applies to any role, whether you are dealing with people or data. If you meet the basic job qualifications, here are a few suggestions to boost your confidence:
EVALUATE YOUR SOFT SKILLS
Employers value these. Soft skills differ from technical skills (i.e., creating social media content, using software programs, or creating a marketing campaign). Some of these include communication skills, interpersonal skills, dealing with change/conflict, critical thinking, time management, decision-making, problem-solving, managing stress, adaptability, and having a positive attitude. Since you need to interact with internal and external stakeholders, it is crucial to have these attributes. In many cases, employees are let go due to inadequate soft skills and not their inability to do the job well.
CONSIDER WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOU
You may want to ask people who know you well about this. Are you a quick study? In other words, do you learn new things quickly? Do you have a particular way of organizing your day to accomplish your goals? No two people are alike, and it is helpful to consider what makes you stand out from others.
IDENTIFY HOW YOU IMPROVED RESULTS
For instance, did you increase revenue, increase the number of website visitors, create a new program, bring in new clients, increase sales, etc.? Make sure to quantify, so you have a sense of the impact you made. Was this your idea? How did you achieve this? Were their challenges? If so, how did you overcome them?
DID YOU VOLUNTEER FOR EXTRA WORK?
Did you offer to carry out a project outside of your formal job description? What was it? Was it successful? Were you praised for this? Often, employees wear many hats, and it’s important to remember how you helped the employer accomplish it's goals.
RECALL CHALLENGING SITUATIONS
Everyone faces difficult situations on the job. How you handle them is essential. For instance, did you work with a co-worker who wasn’t pulling their weight, or were you required to accomplish a
task without enough information? Use the STAR method (often used in #behavioralinterviewquestions). Think about the Situation you faced, the Tasks involved, the Actions you took to address the problem, and the Results. Remember how you (rather than a team) were instrumental in solving the problem.
Your goal is to develop a list of positive traits and achievements based on facts and examples to instill in you the confidence to submit those applications.
If you need help with your job search, contact me for a free phone consultation.
