I once heard about a sign on a church door that read: “Self-Esteem Group Meets Thursday Night. Use Back Door.” If this seems to represent a self-fulfilling prophesy, that’s because it does. The philosopher, René Descartes, was partially right when he said, “I think, therefore I am.” He just needed to amend it a bit for modern consumption so that it reads: “I think I can’t and so I can’t.”
Self-esteem is a valued possession even when you are not looking for a job and that’s because it is not easy to come by. Women seem to have more of a problem with it than men, but maybe this is because men are more used to asserting and selling themselves in terms of their skills and capabilities. Whatever the reason and from wherever it originates in our minds and souls, self-esteem is a very important aspect of our attitudes and personalities, and you must learn how to how to get it if you don’t have it and how to keep it in check if you do.
Looking for a job can be a big blow to anyone’s ego. Self-esteem spills over into every action and thought, and a potential employer can easily spot the lack of it. A high self-esteem can be counted among those soft skills that radiate your personality and worth as a job applicant. The key is to project an image of worth without being obnoxious. That is the key, but where, the hell is the door, you ask.
Well, good question and I don’t know everything. But I do know that the way you think of yourself is constantly projected to the outside world. You emit your own messages and you tell people how to treat you without uttering a single word.
Keep your head up and your voice strong. Don’t come across as a determined activist, but show a prospective employer that you can handle anything that might come your way. Self-esteem is a valuable intangible tool that must be in place in order to land a job worthy of your talents.
Think about it. And then, go out and do it!
Good luck.
Related Reading:
“What Are Hard and Soft Skills?”
http://forums.families.com/jobs,f122