If you’ve been searching for a new job for a while, it’s hard to maintain your job search confidence. Even just a few rejections can damage your self esteem, making it harder to feel secure about the quality of your resume or your interview prowess.

But, staying confident is a critical key to success. Without job search confidence, hiring managers may question your capabilities, regardless of whether your application shows you have the right combination of skills and experience to excel in a role.

Luckily, there are things you can do to up your level of job search confidence. Here’s how to get started.

Reflect on Past Successes

During a job search, it’s easy to end up with tunnel vision. You focus on the responses you’ve gathered from your applications and interviews and use those points as a gauge of your worth.

But this perspective means you are discounting your previous successes, and that won’t help your self esteem. If you are feeling down during your job search, take some time to reflect on your past professional achievements, including on the job accomplishments and any accolades. This will help counteract tunnel vision before you allow it to hold you back.

Select the Right Attire

Clothing can have a significant impact on confidence. Nearly every person has an outfit or two that leaves them feeling like they can take on the world.

If you’re getting ready for an interview, select attire that gives you that feeling of confidence. That sensation will carry over as you meet with the hiring manager.

Just make sure your clothes are also comfortable to wear. Even the most stellar outfit won’t help you exude confidence if you have to fight with it during the interview. When in doubt, wear the clothes to work or during a mock interview. Be mindful of how you feel throughout the experience and, if you find yourself pulling at the material or that your movement is restricted, consider choosing something else.

Don’t Dwell on Your Mistakes

At some point, you’ll make a mistake during your job search. Maybe you’ll forget to attach a required cover letter, overlook a typo in your resume, or miss a critical application deadline.

Regardless of the misstep, it’s important to move forward. Consider it a learning experience and take action to avoid making the same mistake in the future. Then, try and move on.

Dwelling on a mistake will eat away at your confidence, so recognize that the occasional error is going to happen. Learn from it and use that information to help ensure you do better the next time around.

Ultimately, a job search can be rough on your confidence. But, with some dedication and diligence, you can succeed.

If you are looking for new opportunities, the skilled professionals at TempStaff can connect you with some of the area’s leading employers. Contact us to speak with one of our knowledgeable team members today and see how our services can help improve your job search confidence and help you take the next step in your career.