Is a lack of confidence stopping you from getting a new job?

Less than a third of people find their job fulfilling. How sad is that statistic? Considering we spent about a third of our time at work, not liking our jobs can have a massive impact on our personal lives.

24 per cent of Irish people are currently stuck in a role which they are unhappy or uninspired by, according to research from LinkedIn, while only 28 per cent of professionals find their job fulfilling.

So why don’t they just get new jobs, you ask? The employment market is buoyant, so it should be easy to switch, right? Unfortunately, this often comes down to a lack of confidence. Some 44 per cent of people say they find the process of looking for a job overwhelming, while more than half of Irish workers (51 per cent) will not apply for a new job because they aren’t confident in themselves.

Of those who said they weren’t confident enough to look for a new job, 42 per cent thought they didn’t have strong enough experience; 40 per cent said they believed that there were better candidates for the role and 40 per cent were worried about leaving their comfort zone.

There can be a lot of second guessing yourself when you’re thinking about applying for a new role. What if I can’t get a new job? What if I’m not good enough? What if I don’t like the new company?

It is understandable that, since work is such a major part of our lives, changing jobs can seem like a very scary thing to do. But if you are unhappy in your role, staying put is scary too, and certainly not a great option.

To get over your lack of confidence, it is important to remember that your harshest critic is your inner self. Conquer this criticism by informing yourself of your achievements. Write down every job you’ve ever had and then note all of the skills, experiences, and accomplishments you achieved in those roles. Do not allow yourself to dwell on any mistakes you have made. Instead, look at how you learned from them and how you have improved since. It is also important to talk to friends and family about what they think your best skills and qualities are. It’ll give you a fresh insight and a little confidence boost.

After doing these little steps, it is time to bite the bullet and apply for jobs. Will you be guaranteed success? No. Will it take a few attempts? Yes. But this short term pain will pay off in the long term. There is nothing more soul-destroying than spending your days doing something you find unfulfilling or dull.

This article was first published in February 2019.