Three Foolproof Ways to Feel Confident at Work

Posted on Thursday, May 18th, 2017

With the start of the summer comes the start of new co-op work terms and jobs. And with the start of a new position can come some insecurities and nervousness at work.

Feeling a little nervous at the beginning of a new position is totally natural, and can even be beneficial. You can harness your nervousness and translate it into confidence, to stand out and succeed. Below, we look at how to do just that.

Ask Questions and Write Down the Answers

Asking questions is the number one best way to get yourself established and comfortable at a new position. Not only do you show yourself to be invested and dedicated to your job, you also start to understand the nature of the position, organization, and industry that you now work in. With that knowledge comes a better understanding of how you fit in, and what you can do to benefit the organization.

Questions will also help you get more familiar with your coworkers. Talking about the job with those around you will make you more confident to approach others when you need help or make a mistake.

Remember to keep track of the answers whenever you ask a question. Keep a notebook to write down what you learn—that way, you won’t forget and need to ask again. Having a notebook will also show how organized and efficient you are—yet another reason to feel super confident in your abilities.

Fake It ‘Til You Make It

You’ve almost definitely heard this cliché before, and maybe you brushed it off as just some weird advice, but this is actually a really helpful thing to remember.

Chances are, no matter how prepared you are, you’re going to feel nervous for your first couple of weeks at a new job. But one of the best and fastest ways to get over that feeling is to project confidence.

Wardrobe

One good way to do this is to make sure you present yourself well. Dressing appropriate to your industry is important—what you wear at an IT job will be different from a business job, for example.

The expected dress code depends on the company culture, so pay attention to how your colleagues and supervisors dress. Are they a jeans and t-shirt kind of place, or is everyone showing up in suits? Are ties expected? Is it super conservative?

Once your work outfits start to match the office vibe, you’ll feel like you’re part of the team and start building your confidence.

Stand Out

Remember when we talked about the importance of knowing your skills? When it comes to building your confidence, capitalizing on these skills is a great way to do it.

Start standing out at work by taking on some extra tasks that really show off your skills. When you go above and beyond expectations and succeed at it, you’ll feel awesome about yourself. You’ll also impress your colleagues, learn a lot, and build on your professional reputation.

Be Good to Yourself

Remember, you’re there to learn! During a co-op work term, you are still considered a student and it’s important to remember that it’s all a learning experience. Everyone makes mistakes, and corny as it sounds, a mistake is an opportunity to further your education. Write down what you did, and the proper way of doing it, and you’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Also, cut out any negative self-talk. That critical voice in your head isn’t helping. It’s good to push yourself to succeed, but if that mentality pushes into anything negative, it won’t help you. Instead, build a confident internal dialogue and watch the positive effect it has on your work life.

This also means celebrating your achievements and embracing feedback. When you do something good, feel good about it! And when a colleague or supervisor offers you feedback—positive or negative—thank them for it. It gives you an opportunity to continue building your performance, and a better understanding of the expectations of your work.

 

Feeling confident at work is going to give you a huge bonus in your professional life. It will help you gain more opportunities and expose you to awesome people to add to your network. Standing out, exercising your skills, and learning from your mistakes are all ways of getting confident and positive in your workplace.

If you would like to learn more about the Algonquin College co-op program, please visit our website at https://www.algonquincollege.com/coop/, connect with us at coop@algonquincollege.com or call us at 613-727-4723 Ext.7623. You can also follow our Twitter at @AlgonquinCoop.


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