Lacking in confidence can actually benefit your resettlement
Category: Tips and Advice
Publish date: 03/04/2024
This month, we'd like to talk about why lacking in confidence can benefit your transition from the military to civilian employment.
There's a common misconception that confidence equals competence and that you should always present yourself as being confident, even if you aren't. Yes, in some instances this is good advice, and doing so can help you look good in front of whomever you're speaking with. But if feigned confidence is used to mask incompetence, you'll simply be found out further down the line.
1. Reflect on negative thoughts Negative self-talk is common during times of change and can contribute to feelings of professional self-doubt and unease. While you don't want to fall into a trap of believing all the negative thoughts that enter your mind, it's important to recognise them, identify where they've come from and use this insight to begin addressing the root cause. If you realise you're doubting your ability to pursue a certain career path following your time in the military because you don't possess a qualification other candidates in your field are likely to have, now's the perfect time to go get qualified and come back stronger!
2. Use uncertainty to pursue knowledge Confident people will often say they feel driven to act, and taking action is usually seen as a positive thing; but there is no evidence to suggest that confident actions are always the best. A little doubt and uncertainty at times can actually help. If you're ever unclear on anything to do with an industry, a role or the job search process in general, use this opportunity to go away, do some research, and gather facts to build your understanding. When confidence is built upon a foundation of knowledge as opposed to bravado alone, your likelihood of authentic, sustainable success will inevitably increase.
3. It demonstrates humility Understanding our weaknesses and being more realistic can drive self-improvement and help us close the gap between our ideal professional self and who we are today. There will be times in your resettlement when an interviewer or network connection asks you a question that you don't know the answer to. It's in this moment you can make a personal note to yourself to bridge this gap and explain your desire to do so to the person you're speaking with. Nobody is expecting you to have all the answers right away, and demonstrating humility - coupled with a desire to better yourself - can often leave a better impression on someone than trying to blag your way through a response.
Resettlement can be daunting, and it’s perfectly normal to have moments where you doubt or question yourself. The important thing is to use these lapses in confidence as opportunities to improve and build the foundations for a more sustainable future in civilian employment.
You can use the Career Pulse activities in myCareerPath to identify your confidence levels in various areas of transition, and build an e-learning pathway to help develop any areas you feel less confident in. You can also utilise the Career Assessment activities to identify your strengths, weaknesses, motivations and values to better understand yourself, and your key selling points.
And remember, you don’t have to face any doubts or hurdles alone – your CTP Career Consultant will be with you every step of the way.