We all have areas of our life where we feel ultra confident, and other areas where we feel like a nervous wreck!
Applying for a place on a Midwifery course, or a job as a midwife, whether it’s your first time or you’re a seasoned Midwife looking to be promoted, can be a daunting thought– especially in the assessment and interview stages!
We’ve gathered a few tips for you which we hope will get you on your way to helping improve your confidence for these types of situations, and make you realise that actually, you’ll be just fine
1. Monitor your Breathing…
Not taking the time to breathe properly, and taking shallow and rapid breaths when you’re feeling a little wound up can actually make the situation worse by making you feel even more panicky.
If you’re in a situation where nerves are starting to get the better of you (like waiting to be called in for interview) try to sit quietly and focus on your breathing for a minute.
Take deep, slow breaths and concentrate on the sensations of breathing in and breathing out.
This will slow your mind down for a minute and help relax your body – trust us, it really does help!
2. The Importance of Posture
How’s your posture? Good posture is something that many people take for granted.
A lot of people who lack confidence in their abilities reflect this in the way they stand and move however, and as a result have poor posture.
What’s the first thing you notice about someone brimming with confidence? The way they hold themselves!? This has a big impact on first impressions and how people perceive us.
Something as simple as making the effort to put your shoulders back, hold your head up and stand straight and tall can not only give others the impression that you’re confident, it can actually play a psychological trick on you and make you feel more confident too!
3. Who do you Admire?
Who do you respect for their strength and confidence?
Maybe it’s someone you know, a celebrity you admire, or even a historical figure. Try writing down all the qualities that you like about them.
If you’re dealing with a situation that makes you feel uncomfortable think to yourself – what would this person do? Would they let nerves get the better of them or would they tackle things and do their best to get on with it?
This can really help giving you that extra boost – and once you’ve done it once, trust us, it gets easier and easier.
4. What you Wear
Deciding what to wear for your Interview or for a University Assessment or Open Day might mean that you’ll be dressing differently from normal. But try to do this in a way that makes you feel comfortable – this is really important.
For example make sure what you’re wearing is in good condition and fits you well – you don’t want to be uncomfortable because your skirt is a little tight, or worried that your trousers might fall down a little too much if they’re loose!
If you know you look good, and you feel comfortable, you’ll feel more confident.
5. Flip the Negative!
Think of the situation you’re worried about – let’s take an interview as an example.
What is the best outcome? And what is the worst? What it boils down to is you get the position or you don’t.
If you don’t get the position, let yourself (naturaly) be disappointed, but also think to yourself – what might you gain from the whole interview process?
This could be experience, or helpful feedback for your next interview which might help you feel even more confident next time round.
Try to always flip the negative and look for the positive – not what you stand to lose but what you stand to gain and learn from each new experience.
So those are our handy confidence hints, and we hope that you’ve found them useful? And remember our friendly team are always here to help and advise you – just get in touch!
