Career Tests

Class Location: The Internet.

Description: This course is designed to remind students the importance of self-esteem not only in your general happiness, but also in your career development.

Objective: Make sure you don't let your self-esteem take a hit in your career advancement efforts.

David Robinson, a lecturer at the Haas School of Business at the University of California Berkeley, and a pro at workplace situations, contributes a column to the San Francisco Chronicle's employment section. Recently a reader asked him how she could build confidence. While the reader has been recognized on the job for her competence, her self-doubt is ratcheting up to panic and fear over the fact that she might make a mistake on the job. Her lack of confidence has been noted in her annual reviews.

As Mr. Robinson reminded his readers, we face a mix of people on the job. There are those who are over-impressed with their own abilities and those who are constantly doubting their own accomplishments. It's a rare person who is able to make a realistic self-assessment. For those who wish to rise above self doubt, a good starting point is to accept that you probably do worry too much and your anxieties aren't based in reality. And take comfort in the fact that you are not alone in this. Bookstore shelves yield a plentitude of books on the subject; self-esteem is a staple of talk shows; there are self-help groups devoted to helping its members put their self-doubt to rest.

From childhood on, it's easy to internalize the message that you aren't "good enough." Whether it's from parents who pushed criticism instead of praise, or experiences in school, or even as adults, it's easy to fall victim to the message that we somehow don't measure up. Yet, with a commitment to gaining a realistic perspective you can overcome your lack of confidence.

Begin by thinking about the skills that put you at the top of your team, things you can factually state, like, "I am the only one who can handle negotiations in Mandarin Chinese," or that you are the one who got the computers restarted after others had failed. Keep a private journal and write down your successes. Avoid silly affirmations such as "I am the world's best negotiator." They won't work if real-world data tell you that's not true. But if you can note: "Caught error in Q3 budget that no one else saw," that would be on the right track. In moments of self-doubt, consult your journal to remind yourself of your talents and accomplishments. And the folks at All Star Resume add one other item to Mr. Robinson's to-do list, and that's to take a moment to praise others with your sincere appreciation for how well they executed a certain task. While we're short on the emotional science behind it, we do know that giving a positive stroke to someone else can actually help you do the same for yourself. In fact, it's very empowering to give sincere praise to others.

By building on your expertise through training and new experiences, and taking note of it, you'll be able to periodically review how far you've come.

If you make a mistake at work, try to keep it in perspective. If you find yourself wallowing in negative thoughts, remind yourself that: "I'm the kind of person who tends to overreact to small mistakes." You can even write that down on page one of your journal. Eventually, you'll learn not to overreact. Even people who are naturally diffident can learn to take on a positive, confident role at work.