Anxiety Aunt: Help! I Have Just Entered the Workforce and Lack Confidence
Dear Aunty, I have just started my first proper job after graduating university. I work in an office on St Georges Terrace and while I am enjoying the work, I am really struggling with confidence issues. All the women I work with seem so sure of themselves while I am forever second-guessing what I do. I haven’t had any negative feedback but I just feel like I am scrambling to keep up or that I am not necessarily producing work that is up to scratch. It is probably all in my imagination and I think the first thing I have to do is work on my confidence. Do you have any advice? Yours, Newbie.
Dear Newbie, Confidence Is Key in Your Professional Journey
My dear, you are wise indeed to identify that confidence is the biggest issue here. And it is not an uncommon thing. The transition from student to professional is a massive identity shift. You have gone from an environment where you are mostly among peers and people your own age to entering the workforce where people are various ages and skills and leadership levels, and of course that is bound to make you feel somewhat destabilised. It is totally fine to feel a bit wobbly at first but know that almost every CEO or company director has stood in your shoes at some point.
Understanding Impostor Syndrome and Workplace Dynamics
Believe it or not, your Aunt has had a little bit of experience in the corporate world. And while ultimately One decided the 9 to 5 grind did not suit One’s creative temperament, One did learn a thing or two. And while you may be suffering from Impostor Syndrome, which is far more common than you think, there are others who are actual impostors—chameleon-style employees who reinvent themselves to suit what their bosses want and who often survive and thrive, despite any apparent skills or talent, through sheer luck, plenty of bluster and a whole lot of smoke and mirrors.
You will discover these people, Newbie, as your career progresses, every workplace has at least one, and you will think to yourself, “how on earth did they get where they are?” It remains one of life’s great mysteries. And while you don’t want to emulate these work dodgers, per se, you can learn a thing or two from them about faking it. Just make sure you only fake it until you make it by genuinely honing your craft and building your skill set.
Practical Tips for Boosting Confidence at Work
Now this might not be the advice you receive from a professional, but in your Aunt’s experience, dressing up is key. One doesn’t mean to suggest you should arrive at work wearing a highly flammable Disney princess costume, but rather you should dress not for your own role but for the role you aspire to have. So if you want to be the girl boss of a company one day, dress like one now. It will work wonders for your confidence while you hone your skills to assure you achieve that promotion in time.
Consider who you are at work as a more assertive and confident version of yourself. So when you put on those heels, you are a little more invincible and unflappable. And in the meantime, understand that you are new and there to learn, you aren’t expected to know everything yet. If you did, you’d be on a bigger salary. And while you may not have all the answers just yet, your confidence will grow if you are brave enough to ask the right questions.
- When you make a mistake, take it on the chin and see it as a way to learn and improve rather than as a slight on you or your abilities.
- Lastly, find your people. A confidante or mentor who will give you worthwhile advice and provide support when needed.
Your Aunt has always found that no matter the role or the industry, it is the people you work alongside that make or break a workplace. Seek out the good ones, Newbie. And go forth and thrive.
