1. New Breaks, New Horizons
Gaining Confidence

2. Introduction Why is confidence important in finding a new job?
What does being confident mean?
How can I increase my confidence?

3. Why do we lose confidence?
Rejection or lack of acknowledgement
Messages from parents, family, friends, teachers
Focusing on what we can’t do
Messages from politicians, the media and society
Taking things personally
Comparing self with others

4. Downward spiral
Lack of confidence
Poor performance
Low self-image

5. Why do we need confidence?
We need the employer to have confidence in us
We avoid the downward spiral
We are likely to perform better
We feel better about ourselves
We are more resilient to rejection and disappointments

6. What does being confident mean?
Thinking you are better than everyone else
Focusing on your strengths
A belief in yourself and your abilities
The certainty of feeling you are equal to the task

7. Internal dialogue I must be useless Nobody will ever employ me
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re probably right” (Henry Ford)
I must be useless
Nobody will ever employ me
I didn’t get that job
May as well give up trying

8. Internal dialogue
Someone else must have appeared to meet their criteria more closely than me
I didn’t get that job
What can I learn from this?
I’m not sure that job was right for me anyway
Oh well, their loss!
Next!

9. Whole picture You Previous jobs Son/daughter Family Voluntary work
Helping friends
Personal achievements
Hobbies
Current job title
You

10. Try/learn something new
Take up a new/old hobby
Do voluntary work
Get involved with your community

11. Be kind to yourself
Don’t beat yourself up for a situation out of your control
Reward yourself for small achievements
Make time to do the things you enjoy
Pamper yourself now and again
Keep in contact with friends
Look after yourself – looking nice, eating healthily, exercising, sleeping

12. What can disabled people offer?
Just as productive as non-disabled people
Less time off sick
Fewer workplace accidents
Stay in our jobs longer
Bring additional skills (creativity, patience, persistence, innovation, determination etc)
Understand the “disability” market (worth up to £80 million a year in UK)
Diverse employees make better decisions

13. Would you employ these people?
Beethoven
(Deaf)
Ellie Simmonds (Dwarfism)
Richard Branson
(Dyslexia)
Simon Weston
(Burns scars)
Stevie Wonder
(Blind)
Winston Churchill
(Depression)
Stephen Hawking
(Motor Neurone Disease)
Baroness Campbell
(Wheelchair user)

14. Fake it ‘til you make it! Appear confident Good performance
High self-image

15. Next Steps Download the slides Put these ideas into practice
Enjoy building your confidence!