You are sitting in the reception waiting to interview for your dream job. You have done your research and you know you’re more than qualified. What’s that extra ingredient to make sure you nail the interview and get the job? Confidence!

Confidence is all about feeling assured in your abilities and acknowledging that you can actually be a valuable asset to others both socially and professionally. In many ways confidence can drive your success. Essentially, being confident in your work, in your capabilities and in yourself will give you the boost you need to go for that job, promotion and to reach higher goals in your professional life.

Approaching difficult situations with confidence and self-assurance is essential in the modern workplace, particularly for women working in male dominated industries. This means speaking your mind, sharing ideas and asking the hard hitting questions, even in potentially daunting meetings or interviews. If you feel confident in your professional decisions then your co-workers and managers will definitely take notice. In the beginning it may be a matter of “fake it till you make it” – If you act confident, everyone else will believe it.

It is also important to try not to feel intimidated or distracted by other confident and powerful people in your workplace. You should ultimately allow yourself to feel assured and comfortable in your own work rather than comparing yourself to your co-workers, or anyone for that matter. If there is a time when you feel inept or uncertain about your work – you should not see this as a chance to shy away. Instead, look at these moments of insecurity as an opportunity to improve, to grow and change your perceptions.

That said, we are our own greatest critics and feeling confident can sometimes be easier said than done. Therefore we have come up with a few tips to help you feel more confident on a daily basis to the point where you no longer need to fake it.

5 Tips to becoming more confident:

1. Meeting - Arrive on time, be prepared and stay off your phone (no matter how addictive social media is)
2. Conversation & Interviews - Keep strong eye contact, great posture, listen and respond positively.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask questions - The sooner the better. It shows you want to be more involved and are open to improvement.
4. Fashion - Choose an outfit, which makes you feel comfortable and above all confident.
5. Don’t get cocky - There is a fine line between being confident and developing an aura of arrogance.

Here at The 400 Co. we believe that dressing and feeling confident in a corporate environment is a step in the right direction to help you stand out and make an impression on your managers and co-workers. Exuding confidence and showing people what you are worth can go a long way in both your personal and professional life.