Career EQ

Written by Jane Lowder, Max Coaching

If I could wave a magic wand and change 1 aspect of thinking in order to assist people to achieve their career goals and hopes, it would be this: self belief.

Many people I speak with about their careers have this in common: they are somewhat uncomfortable speaking confidently about how capable and skilled they are.

It’s not arrogant to confidently articulate your strengths and achievements.  If you don’t admit to yourself how good you truly are at what you do then you simply hold yourself back from doing and being all that you can do and become.

If a high jump athlete doesn’t accept that they have the capability to jump 1.8 metres, then there’s a chance they’ll never attempt it.  Or if they do, they’ll do it without confidence in their ability - and we all know the principle of the self fulfilling prophecy.

In a challenging labour market there’s no room for coyness or inaccurately applied modesty. The people who present their skills and experience with confidence will be the ones to win the jobs.

That doesn’t mean you should talk yourself up beyond your skills, or represent that you can do something that is beyond your capabilities.  I am talking about honestly and realistically facing up to the things that you do really well.

Self Awareness is one of the basic tenets of Emotional Intelligence. Honest self appraisal is a good step towards self awareness and self belief.  Give it a go, see what happens - maybe you’ll put yourself forward to for opportunities that you may not have thought possible.