The Secret to Job Confidence

For a rosier future, present yourself with confidence on the job. Your overall demeanor will speak volumes before you say a word.

“Nobody has a great confidence level with someone who’s self-doubting and has a low comfort level and low self-esteem,” explains Susan Wilson Solovic, CEO and cofounder of SBTV.com and author of The Girls’ Guide to Power and Success. “Imagine you’re going in for your first haircut at a salon, and the person cutting your hair seems awkward and unsure. He or she may be the best stylist in the world but is not providing the confidence that produces trust in his or her abilities.”

Acting confident, on the other hand, signals you can deliver on the job. The good news? You can fake confidence until you have it. Here’s how, according to Solovic.

Funnel nervous energy

“Even if you’re dying on the inside, you can present an outward appearance of being very cool, calm, and collected,” says Solovic. The secret isn’t to deny your nervous energy, but to funnel it where it will be unnoticed by others.

“Some of the most famous stars get butterflies before they go on stage,” she says. “Actually, that bit of adrenaline gives you energy—it’s how you manage it that counts.”

The more you learn to control it, the more confidence can become a real part of your personality.

Stretch your wings

Don’t be afraid to ask for a little more responsibility. Try volunteering for a task force or for leadership on a committee.

“The more you stretch your wings, the more confident you’ll be going forward,” she says. “If you shy away from those opportunities, you’re just reinforcing your lack of confidence.”

Toot your own horn

When you succeed at something, let people know.

“You can do this in a very professional manner without looking like a braggart,” she says. “If people perceive you as successful, that will reinforce your strengths. At the same time, don’t be shy about praising other people’s work—it will make them ready to return the favor.”

Don’t be afraid to join in

If you sit back rather than jumping in and participating in a discussion, it may appear you have nothing to offer.

Don’t be too quick to take the blame

Many people, women especially, apologize too often, and too much. Unfortunately, that takes away the perception of your being a confident, powerful person.

Learn to deflect labels

Everyone tends to make generalizations about other people. Particularly in the business world, people may place a negative label on you because of their own biases or insecurities. Get to know your core competencies and skills, focus on them, and deflect any labels.

Hold your head high—literally

Enter a room with confidence and look people in the eye. If you feel comfortable speaking up in a meeting, it signals, “Hey, I’m confident—this is my turf.”

Pay attention to your speech patterns

A lot of women and some men speak softly, and some women talk in a high pitch—which can be perceived as insecure or little girlish. If you hear your own voice on a tape recorder and think, “I don’t want to listen to that!” why would anyone else want to listen to it either? Practice amplifying your voice or lowering your pitch.

“The more you’re able to practice acting confident,” Solovic adds, “the more it will become a part of who you are.”