Your self-doubt is killing your career opportunities! You may not realize it, but self-doubt could very easily be sabotaging you at every turn. It’s easy to miss, but think about it: how many emails have you been too shy to send? How many times have you neglected job postings for your dream position because you thought you weren’t good enough? How many times have you submitted your application without a re-read, thinking that’s the best you could do?

It’s time to stop all of these habits and adapt the following four:

1. Don’t Think Twice

It’s easy to let overthinking get the best of you, so here’s some quick job seeking advice: just stop thinking.

If you want to send off a LinkedIn connection request to someone prominent in your field, don’t think about it for an extended time – just do it. If you want to cold-email a company and pitch a new job title they don’t have, type your email up and hit send before you can question it and talk yourself out of it. The point is, don’t think too hard about what you’re doing because that opens the door for self-doubt to creep in.

Be confident in your abilities and don’t allow yourself the time to question whether or not they’ll accept your request or respond to your email. Maybe they won’t, but why’s that a problem? You should be proud of yourself for taking a risk because you never know how positively it could turn out!

2. Take Twice as Long

We get it – job applications are stressful and the second you finish writing one, you’re ready to hit submit. But, looking it over as many times as possible is essential. It’s not the most exciting task in the world, but re-reading and editing your work could be the difference between not hearing back and landing the job.

Professional writers tend to write, re-read, edit, re-read, edit, on and on until they’ve re-read it a bunch of times and made no further edits – you should do this with your application as well. It would be beneficial to have your work looked at by other people, too – friends, family, or a job-seeking help business if possible. Every second you spend pouring over your application shows in comparison to those who don’t. 

3. Make Them Look Twice

You don’t want a hiring manager to look at your application or think of your interview once and never again. The good news is that you’re more than capable of ensuring you stay on their radar. Ensure that each hiring manager you meet thinks of you as many times as possible: send a follow-up email a few days after sending your application in, or send them a personalized thank you email after the interview. You can even connect with them on LinkedIn and thank them there, giving them not only the opportunity to see your gratitude, but another chance to look over your prior work experience.

4. Try More Than Twice

Just because you’re shot down once doesn’t mean you’re stuck there. The truth is that every single person you see pursuing your dream career was rejected plenty of times – whether by other jobs in the field, or sometimes, the same job they have right now. If you feel like you keep missing out on opportunities in the industry or like you’ll never get involved with the company of your dreams, use these rejections as inspiration to push you to do better and keep trying. Amp up your skills and come back even stronger – to the same company, position, whatever it may be. Just know it doesn’t hurt to keep trying – the worst you’ll get is a no.

Even if you don’t feel confident in your abilities, even if you’re nervous about making these moves, the more you force yourself to do it, the easier it’ll become. Soon, you’ll be a pro at thank you emails and cover letter check-ups – and after that, you’ll land a job you’ve been dreaming of!

Still struggling with your application? Purchase a Style Nine to Five Get Hired How-To Guide!

Emily Morrison is a media professional with passions for writing, film and popular culture.

Feature Image: Adobe Stock