Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: 7 Ways to Build Confidence

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career and life development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

The video below from TopThink discusses 7 psychological tricks to help us build confidence. Check out the video for more.

5 Ways to be More Successful & Confident at Work

If you care about your career and work performance (and you likely do since you’re reading this) you want to be more confident and successful in your work.

There are some basic principles we can implement into our lives to make our work experiences more successful so let’s consider a few of these.

Preparation. To be successful we need to prepare for success. Sure, we’ve all crammed for an exam in school, staying up late one night to try to be ready, but long-term, lasting success requires a practice of preparation: studying the sales figures in the spreadsheet, learning the new program, practicing the speech, or taking the class. We must put the work in. There are no shortcuts.

Support. Successful people recognize the truth behind the old adage that “no man is an island” and ensure that they are surrounded by a support system that encourages them to be at their best. Your support team should include your family, friends, colleagues, and a mentor. You might consider your faith community to be part of your support system, along with the men and women on your co-ed softball team.

Habits. Your daily habits should support your career, including what you drink and eat, the amount of sleep and exercise you get, along with your mental habits such as self-talk and meditation. Develop a regular routine of self-care to increase your confidence and energy levels.

Attire. Dress for success by wearing attire appropriate for your job and consistent with the position you want to attain. It’s difficult to be taken seriously at work if you do not pay attention to your appearance so ensure that you look sharp and maintain good hygiene. You’ll feel more confident in your job by looking the part.

Communication. Success at work often comes down to effective communication skills, whether you’re coaching a team, lecturing in front of a class, or speaking on the phone with an irate customer, the ability to effectively hear and communicate will determine your success. Make a serious effort to improve your communication skills, both verbal and written, and you will have increased confidence in your work and experience greater success.

What are you doing to build confidence and set yourself up for success at work?

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Why You Shouldn't Be Afraid to Take Risks

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• Why You Shouldn't be Afraid of Making Mistakes: "A leader must have Initiative—the courage to make decisions, to act, and the willingness and strength to risk failure."

• 8 Surprising Strategies for Unstoppable Focus: "Get clear on precisely what you want, then move past any doubts or fears through massive, urgent action. Doing this is a mental game for me: I keep score on how well I've done each day."

• 5 Management Lessons That Being a Parent Taught Me: "The same goes for your employees. If they know you have their back, they’ll take more risks and produce better work."

• 5 Ways to Project Confidence in Front of an Audience: "Using simple words doesn’t imply dumbing down your message. You gain credibility and respect when you’re able to articulate complex ideas in simple language."
• An Entrepreneurs Letter to His Son: "The happiest people I’ve ever encountered draw their happiness not from what they’ve obtained, but rather from the inner joy that comes from being at peace."

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: How to Ask for a Promotion

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• How to Ask for a Promotion: "How do you prepare for that conversation with your boss? What information should you have at the ready? And how exactly do you make your case?"

• 6 Tiny Habits That Will Make You Smarter, Confident, and More Productive: "When you're mentally sharp, you're not only growing and evolving at a faster pace in life, but you're also operating with more confidence."

• How to Make Money as a Stay-at-Home Mom: "While the majority of these ideas require computer and internet access, the majority of these suggestions have low to zero startup costs and require little to no additional schooling."

• 3 Valuable Strategies for Practicing Self-Respect: "A sense of self-worth built by and dependent upon the opinions of other people—conditional self-esteem—is a house of cards, liable to collapse at any moment."
• 9 Must-Watch TED Talks That Will Make You a Better Entrepreneur: "If you’re striving for business and personal success, check out these nine popular TED Talks. They’ll provide you with insights and strategies that can help you become a better entrepreneur."

5 Tips to Reduce Anxiety Before Your Next Job Interview

The interviewing process often produces a great deal of anxiety, particularly if you’re unemployed and feeling desperate to find work. There are ways to reduce your pre-interview anxiety and to be best prepared to make a good impression on a prospective employer.

Implement the following practices to manage your apprehension and nervousness and to boost your confidence before your next interview.

Get adequate sleep the night before and eat a healthy meal. You can’t be at your best if you’ve had a lousy night’s sleep and you’ll be more likely to experience anxiety if you are tired. In addition, you’ll want to avoid food that makes you feel unwell and give yourself a night off from alcohol. It will inhibit you from getting deep, restful sleep. Choose a light, healthy meal that provides you with energy instead of weighing you down.

Work off some anxiety with a brief exercise regimen. Do yoga, get in a quick run, a bike ride, or a simple workout at the gym, but be sure not to overdo it.  You don’t want to feel fatigued when you attend the interview, nor do you want to show up with an injury sustained from a morning workout. Some brief exercise will get the blood flowing, boost your energy, and decrease your concern over the interview.

Participate in a meditative practice. This will lower your heart rate, and help get you in the right state of mind, calm your nerves, and enable you to focus on the strengths you bring to the position you’ll be interviewing for.

Interview preparation is key. You can significantly reduce the anxiety you have about a job interview by adequately preparing for it. Your preparation should include the following: understanding the company you’re interviewing with and its main competitors, knowing how to describe the ways your strengths and skills make you a highly qualified candidate, and identifying appropriate questions to help you determine whether the job (and company) is a good fit for you and your interests.

Enhance your mood. Finally, on the way to the interview listen to something that lifts your spirits, encourages you to be at your best, and fills you with confidence. This can be music, a podcast, an audio book, or even a favorite TED talk. Find what works for you.

You can reduce your anxiety about and increase your confidence by implementing these five practices the next time you get that call to come in for a job interview.        

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: Powerful Ways to Build Your Confidence

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career and life development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

 In the video below from Entrepreneur, Ed Mylett offers some key ideas to develop confidence, starting with keeping the promises you make to yourself.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: 15 Ways to Get the Confidence Boost You Need at Work

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• 15 Ways to Get the Confidence Boost You Need at Work: "Confidence can build heavily on memory – if you lack confidence in a new opportunity or a new environment, remember what got you there in the first place."

• 27 Things Truly Exceptional Bosses Do Every Day: "Good leaders can gather lots of followers, but truly great leaders demonstrate their eagerness to help other people become even better leaders."

• 8 Ways to Create Momentum: "Not all good habits are created equal. Some are more powerful than others. See the ones that will strengthen your confidence, help you get what you want and result in a satisfying journey."

• The More Essential Your Job is to Your Company, the Happier You'll Be: "Occupying a lynchpin position may offer greater opportunities to experience meaningful work, commitment to the organization, and less job insecurity and burnout."
• 10 Reasons You're Still Not Happy: "A great deal of unhappiness stems from comparing your life to others, which can quickly make you feel inferior. When you feel inferior, it can be hard to feel grateful."

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Nine Strategies to Find Your Next Role

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• 9 Strategies to Find Your Next Role: "Hunting and applying for jobs online is frequently frustrating and fruitless. The best way to search for jobs online is to become "the hunted" by developing a strong online personal brand."

• 11 Ways to Stay Productive When You're Tired: "consider switching up your environment at work to keep you energized and inspired. Try doing a couple of hours with your laptop in a nearby café or library, or at least moving closer to a window where the fresh air and daylight can improve your performance."

• 4 Little-Known Secrets to Better Networking: "One of the most fascinating things about the business world is that valuable connections can form just about anywhere. It’s only a matter of getting out there."

• What Sets Successful CEOs Apart?: "High-performing CEOs understand that a wrong decision is often better than no decision at all."
• 10 Habits of the Most Confident People: "The only person you need to compare yourself with is the version of yourself that you want to become. That's it."

4 Things to Bring to Your Next Job Interview to Set You Apart

You've been called in for that job interview you've been hoping for and have spent hours preparing for it. You've considered the questions you might be asked, identified your strengths, and role-played the interview with a friend.

Well, what else can you do to prepare and stand out?

Bring the following 5 things with you to your next job interview and you'll be sure to shine, even if you don't get the job.

1. A positive attitude. When you head out for the interview be optimistic and friendly. Greet everyone you meet at the company with a smile and a warm "hello". Meditate before the interview and repeat a positive mantra to yourself on your way to the interview, while you wait, and even during pauses in the interview. Simply repeating something simple like "I've got this" can boost your mood and help relax you for an effective interview.

2. Confidence. If you've spent some time preparing for the interview and you've brought a positive attitude then you should feel confident. Sit straight while waiting for the interview and don't fidget. Avoid staring at your phone or playing with a ring or other piece of jewelry. When in the interview room lean slightly forward to show interest in your interviewer and be sure to look them in the eye.

3. A compliment. Be prepared to share something you like about the company you're interviewing with. Demonstrate your knowledge of their work by complimenting a recent innovation, product launch, policy, or practice. But be sure to make it specific, accurate, and heart-felt.

4. Curiosity. Use this opportunity to learn everything you can about this possible employer. Pay attention to the place from the moment you arrive, observing the parking lot and landscaping. What does that tell you about the company? If they have a lobby, is there art work there or is it boring and sterile. Observe how the people dress and interact. You can learn a lot about a company by simply observing its employees converse and the design of the work place. Of course. bring your curiosity into the interview and ask relevant questions of the interviewer.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: The 5 Best Questions to Ask in an Interview

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• The 5 Best Questions to Ask in an Interview: "Since a job interview is your chance to interview the company while they interview you, it's important to ask the hiring team questions that will help you decide if it's the right fit for you, too."

• How to Calm Your Nerves Before a Big Presentation: "Don’t take the basics for granted. Get a good night’s sleep, hydrate, and watch your caffeine intake before a big presentation so that your heart rate isn’t already elevated. Also, make sure that you’ve eaten a good meal and that you aren’t going in hungry."

• 7 Small Changes that Will Make a Big Difference in Your Life: "It is impossible to be confident and self-assured if your thoughts are filled with self-doubt and judgment. If you would never speak to others the way you internally speak to yourself, you can change."

• 5 Characteristics of Grit: "The definition of grit is courage and resolve or strength of character. It can also mean an indomitable and irrepressible spirit that doesn’t back down in the face of failure or obstacles."
• 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do: "They say that bravery is being scared to death to do something and doing it anyway. Many times, that’s true, even when it comes to your career."

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: 5 Morning Rituals to Make Each Day Happier and More Productive

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career and life development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

The video below from Entrepreneur notes that a if you want a happier and more productive start to the day, adopting your own morning ritual may help increase confidence and alleviate anxiety.

5 Steps to Build Confidence

If you don't have confidence in yourself and in your skills you will not attain the success in life or in your career you are striving for. If you don't believe in yourself no else will.

It's normal to go through times when you struggle with self-confidence and it can be difficult to break out and restore your confidence.

Here are 5 steps you can take to build (or re-build) your confidence.

1. Pay attention to your appearance. Do what you can to feel good about the way you look. Get a haircut, shave, get a new cologne or perfume, invest in some contacts, or purchase a new outfit. If you feel good about the way you look you'll likely feel more confident.

2. Get sleep, eat well, and make time for exercise. Your health plays an important role in how confident you feel so be sure to get enough sleep, eat healthy foods, avoid alcohol and nicotine, and take some time to stay physically fit.

3. Work on positive self-talk. Your voice is the one you hear the most throughout the day so focus on positive and encouraging messages.

4. Surround yourself with people who believe in you. Try to arrange regular conversations with friends and colleagues who support you and build you up.

5. Take small risks. Find some successes. Take on a new project. Start small and begin to have some success and you'll find your confidence increasing.

Want more? Check out this list of 25 killer actions to boost your self-confidence.                      

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: 6 Things You Should Unlearn to Succeed at Work

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• 6 Things You Should Unlearn to Succeed at Work: "Part of having a job and a boss is that your boss may sometimes point out weaker areas of your work and ask you to do things differently (or simply better). An unspoken part of your employment agreement is that you'll listen with an open mind."
• The Best 25 Motivational Quotes to Kick Start every Morning: "Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs."
• 12 Things Truly Confident People Do Differently: "The more difficulty you have saying no, the more likely you are to experience stress, burnout and even depression. Confident people know that saying no is healthy, and they have the self-esteem to make their no’s clear."
• Smart Entrepreneurs Build Startups Without Investors: "Entrepreneurs who don’t have someone else’s cash for outsourcing come up with the more innovative and creative approaches to get things done."
• Being a Successful Entrepreneur Isn't Only About Having the Best Ideas: "Conviction is the feeling, deep down, that what you’re doing — and even struggling with — when acting outside your comfort zone is worth it. That the pain is worth the gain. And given the inherent challenge many tasks present to budding entrepreneurs, having this conviction is a critical part of the puzzle."

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: Two Tips to be a More Confident Public Speaker

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career and life development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

The video below from Fast Company provides tips to becoming a more confident public speaker; a skill that can help you get ahead in your career.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: How to Evaluate, Manage, and Strengthen Your Resilience

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• How to Evaluate, Manage, and Strengthen Your Resilience: "Maintaining a positive outlook and regularly expressing gratitude are the bullion bars that have real value in backstopping and building resilience."
• 5 Ways the Rules of Success Have Changed: "Technology has made it possible for you to create the essential elements of business out of thin air. For the very first time, individuals can disrupt entire industries by themselves."
• How to Be More Confident at Work: "One of the best ways to build confidence is to get clear on your strengths and find ways to integrate those strengths into what you do every day."
• The Best Ways to Block Out Office Negativity: "While you may not be able to immediately change the challenging situations around you, it's possible that with a little practice, you can learn to recognize particular patterns of thinking that are keeping you feeling bad at work for longer than necessary."
• Are You a Terrible Boss?: "As an employee, it’s really hard to get anything done if your boss is constantly stepping in and trying to hold your hand when you really don’t need it."

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: How to Fake it When You're Not Feeling Confident

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• How to Fake it When You're Not Feeling Confident: "One surefire way to come across as self-confident when you’re feeling insecure is to use 'body language that makes you feel bold and victorious'."
• 5 Things That Affect You and Your Life: "We’re affected by whatever we know or don’t know. Here’s a good phrase to jot down: Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance is tragedy. Ignorance is devastation. Ignorance creates lack."
• 3 Things Every Company Must Do To Hire Right Now: "Offer a mobile portal that is responsive, fast, and functional — it can’t not do certain functions, it really should function on a par with desktop or you’ll look like you’ve still got one foot in the dinosaur age."
• The One Word That Can Transform Your Negotiating Skills: "As a negotiator, you should strive for a reputation of being fair. Your reputation precedes you. Let it precede you in a way that paves success."
• Breaking These 13 Habits Will Make You Happier: "We can’t control our genes, and we can’t control all of our circumstances, but we can rid ourselves of habits that serve no purpose other than to make us miserable."

5 Tips When Asking for a Raise

You've earned it, that much is clear, and yet you find yourself impatiently waiting on your manager or supervisor to approach you about a raise.

It's time to take the initiative and manage your career by engaging your boss in this discussion. Though it can be intimidating to bring up money with your manager here are five tips to help the process.

1. Understand your value. Do some research so you know where you fit in with the current salary range in your field, and also within your company. This will give you an indication of what you can expect from a raise.

2. Document your accomplishments. Be sure you have clear documentation for the work you've accomplished, along with your specific successes. If there is a way to tie it to the financial success of your company that can help your chances for a raise.

3. Be specific. Determine exactly what it is you are looking for and know what your target number will be when you ask for a raise.

4. Practice will make confident. Take some time to practice what you will say to your manager and how you will state your case for a raise. The more comfortable you are with your presentation the more confident you will appear when asking for your raise, and your manager will appreciate and respect your confidence.

5. Schedule a meeting. This is obvious but until you actually schedule a meeting with your manager to ask for a raise all your preparation is useless. In fact, go ahead and schedule that meeting with your manager today. Give yourself a week to prepare steps 1-4 and go into the meeting with confidence that you're prepared to state your case well.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: How to Stay Motivated

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• How the Most Persistent People Stay Motivated: "Cultivating more relationships that support your efforts is extremely helpful. We all need people, so cultivating existing healthy relationships and releasing toxic ones will keep you motivated, connected, and supported."
• How to Get Your Confidence Back in 5 Minutes or Less: "Try grounding practices such as power posing, envisioning your future self in the context of overall life and practicing gratitude."
• 10 Troubling Habits of Unhappy People: "So much of your happiness is determined by your habits (in thought and deed) that you have to monitor them closely to make certain that they don’t drag you down into the abyss."
• 7 Essential Habits to Become a Healthy Entrepreneur: "Aside from family, friends, and relationships, there are few things more important in your life than your health and your career. When you passionately pursue both of these things you can experience a longer, more fulfilling life."
• Advice to Aspiring Entrepreneurs: Think Like a Toddler: "There’s nothing like the creativity of young children and their ability to interpret things in a fresh way, ask fundamental questions, and use different ways to get to a solution."