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How a Growth Mindset Can Boost Your Confidence and Career

We all know it. You set yourself a goal, work hard for it and, despite your best efforts, experience a setback. But it is precisely in such situations that the question arises; How do I handle this? The right mindset is essential here. We mainly speak of two types: the fixed mindset and the growth mindset.

 

The first question is to what extent the two mindsets differ. The American psychologist Carol Dweck has put forward an interesting thesis. She roughly defines the two approaches as follows:

 

Fixed mindset:

 

  • Innate talent and intelligence determine whether you can do something or not.
  • You learn to get positive feedback and to please others.
  • Mistakes and defeats are viewed as lack of talent and ability.

 

Growth Mindset:

 

  • You are convinced that you can develop skills further.
  • You learn to understand things better through experiences.
  • Mistakes are seen as an opportunity to learn from them and to try new things.

 

In order to gain insight about the kind of mindset that we act on, you have to ask yourself: What kind of mindset do I have? It is helpful to think about fairly recent situations that are still fresh in your memory. Was personal growth in the foreground, or did you act to please others? When a stressful situation or challenging task occurred – did you face it openly or did you try to avoid it? Addressing these kinds of questions can help you determine how you approach challenges and what is your default mindset that you operate with. 

 

Changing your mindset is a process. These are small steps you can start with to help you cultivate a growth mindset and leave old patterns and limiting beliefs behind you:

 

Question your own mindset.

Are you standing in your own way with a restrictive (fixed) mindset? Reorient yourself, because the growth mindset can open doors for you and help you move forward. Having a growth mindset can be trained and strengthened through building awareness.

 

Be open to new ideas and challenges.

Take on new challenges and try to approach failure with a different attitude. Making mistakes is part of life, and so are setbacks. You’ve probably heard how many successful people failed before they were able to reach their goal. Sometimes setbacks are important and can help you refine your direction and make you more determined. Setbacks can become important stepping stones towards your goal, as long as you approach them in this way. 

 

Be patient.

Be acutely aware of the voice in your head. Sometimes we are our worst critic and play negative scripts in our minds over and over again. It took a long time to identify with the negative thought patterns. It might take some time to rewrite the affirmations towards a growth mindset. It is possible to change the script through mindfulness and patience. Every time we become aware of a negative thought pattern, we can actively go through affirmations in our head that are empowering. It will not seem authentic in the beginning, but the more you actively change the story you tell yourself, the more you will start believing in your potential.  

 

Write down positive messages.

Write down a few messages in line with the growth mindset, for example on post-it notes, and stick them somewhere where you can often see them. The more we repeat thoughts, the more likely we are to believe them. Write things like, “I can do xy if I work hard enough.” “Failure is only one step on the way to realizing my goals.”

 

Be realistic.

Try to let go of any perfectionism that you would normally approach things with. There will always be something that can be improved. Rather than focusing on a specific end result, try to approach this mindset change as a practice. Focusing on the process will allow you to grow your confidence steadily. This confidence will transfer into all areas of your life.   

 

Celebrate your achievements.

Not just the big ones, but also the small ones. You work your way forward step by step and you should acknowledge that. There will always be challenges, obstacles, but also a sense of achievement. Accept that and it will be easier to take on challenges with all the uncertainties.

Go your way at your own pace. Learn what works and what doesn’t for you. As long as you don’t stand still, you are heading towards success.

 

The right attitude is the cornerstone of a successful career and life. That is why it is important to find out what attitude you have, how you can change it, if necessary, and how you strengthen it and raise your awareness on a daily basis. Having a “growth mindset” will open many doors for you. We have to believe that with enough practice and perseverance, we can get better and better and achieve our goals. The good news is that the way we think can be changed. Our life can be different if we learn to look at it from the growth mindset perspective.

 

A fixed mindset makes us think that talent and intelligence are static. The growth mindset, on the other hand, means that we believe that we can continuously develop our skills if we only put enough effort into it. That is empowering.

 

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Consistency and Resilience – Key Factors For Career Success

In order to develop your full potential in the workplace, it takes consistent effort and often a good amount of resilience to get through the tough days or moments where things don’t go as anticipated. Being a successful employee requires more than just wanting to do our best. Sometimes difficult situations may come up and we need to dig deep and find ways to push though. In order to consistently show up as our best self, it may require looking at the big picture and having goals to focus on. 

 

Whether it’s a promotion, a raise, or the opportunity to demonstrate your skills, knowing the next step you want to take is important to become more consistent and resilient in the workplace. A good plan of action will help you have a successful career and focus on what truly matters. The following simple steps may not only help you to display consistency at work but may lead you to discover your full potential in the process. 

 

Know your strengths and weaknesses

It is important to identify areas that you can improve in the workplace. Knowing where your strengths lie and in which areas you need more time or support is important in order to become a more successful professional. Addressing your weaknesses one at a time can turn them into strengths. If you do the same with your strengths, you will be able to make better use of them in your career.

 

Organize your work

Becoming more organized and structuring your work flow are easy ways to reach your full potential and develop consistently good results in the workplace. Good organization will allow you to better prioritize your tasks, get more things done, and become more efficient. This will also allow you to respond better in situations where you receive unexpected assignments that have a deadline. Having structure and creating routines will make you more relaxed and happier at work.

 

Ask yourself “why” you are doing something

If you encounter challenging situations in the work environment it often helps if you just pause for five minutes and ask yourself why you are doing what you are doing. You have to be able to visualize the long-term goal behind it. In the best case scenario, the end result is motivating and encourages you to continue working more effectively and with a renewed spirit.

 

Educate yourself continuously

Continuous learning is an essential part of our daily life. When we find we lack inspiration at work, we usually decide to change companies or roles. Continuous learning enables you to develop yourself as a person and in your profession. Take training courses, attend online events or webinars, and socialize with industry experts to motivate yourself and get through challenging times at work. All of these efforts will help you learn more about your area of ​​expertise and develop your professional identity and confidence.

 

Believe in yourself

The most important thing is that you believe in yourself. Oftentimes, employees think they don’t deserve a promotion or that they’re not ready for more responsibility. Having confidence in yourself is half the battle. Believing that you are able to do more in your position will encourage you to actively seek opportunities, be more motivated, and feel in control of your life. It is also important to note that we should strive to surround ourselves with hardworking and positive people, if possible. As humans, we react to our environment. In some situations, unreliable employees can negatively influence you and affect your quality and consistency of work, as well as your outlook on your career and life in general.

 

If you’re looking for more ways to advance in your career, browse through our informative articles on our blog page. These can help you develop and grow professionally. If you are looking for a new professional challenge, send us your resume.

 

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Networking Like a Professional

Building and maintaining relationships in the professional world is no longer just a matter for the executive floor. Almost everyone benefits from their own industry community. How important is successful networking to you?

Networking can be a lot of fun and one of the easiest ways to find a new job or advance your career. With the following tips on networking, you can quickly raise your social capital in various professional situations, despite our current economic circumstances or social distancing scenarios. Use these strategies to maintain and expand your interaction map in order to network successfully:

✓ The basics:

Before you start reaching out to new people, evaluate carefully who is currently in your network. It’s not about collecting the most connections, it’s about productive relationships that can benefit your career. Making a list of the most valuable connections you already have that align with your current goals will help you to be efficient, organized and purposeful when building your network. Your objectives play an important role in the whole process because one of the most important parts of networking is identifying your intention and then deciding what strategy to employ.

✓ A Clear Networking Strategy:

The right contacts are strongly related to your networking goals. However, it can also make sense to network with like-minded people and people who think differently on a professional level. Make a conscious effort to network with different people outside of your “bubble”. The focus here is on the exchange based on professional experience, knowledge and further training as well as paying particular attention to employers and career opportunities. At the same time, role models in your specific career branch are extremely valuable, as you can learn a lot from them.

✓ Content Counts:

The search for common interests shouldn’t take too long, because you want to network with each other for professional reasons. But think carefully about the content that you actually want to offer to your connections. Focus on the positive. Nobody wants to hear a long sad breakup story. Instead, people feel the need to help and explore opportunities. So ask! Make it clear what you are looking for and actively ask about the company in which your friends and network contacts are working. Remember asking whenever appropriate, if there is anything you can do for them. Always remember: you too have valuable knowledge.

✓Added Value:

Try networking by finding out who the other person is and how you can help them in any way. It is well known that giving comes before taking. Many forget that. Use your expertise to help others. You could improve your relationships by sharing something you learned about a new technology or a piece of advice on using certain software. You could send them links to articles on topics that you think are relevant to the industry your connections are in. Share what you’ve learned as a thank you for your new connection and to keep in touch. Don’t hesitate to ask your friends for any open positions if you are actively looking for a job. Filing a position could possibly lead to a bonus for your friend and could become a win-win situation.

✓Work on your network before you need it:

The best time to start networking is before you need it. You do the right networking by skillfully introducing yourself, contributing content, adding value, and remaining authentic. You can do this at any point in your career. Professional networks have to grow and be maintained over time, so don’t expect a fruitful community from the get go. Be patient. Activate your network with commitment, determination, and consistency. This works best when you enjoy networking. Experience shows that your efforts will pay off sooner or later.

Building relationships with professionals is a skill and, like any new skill, you need to practice it over time. Be patient and let natural timing work to your advantage. Slow and careful is better than fast and random. Putting the effort into maintaining your network will give you many advantages in the interactive professional world: Successful networks are a treasure chest, filled with inspiration, ideas, and collaborations!

No matter what professional position you are in or whether you are currently looking for a job or not, we encourage you to connect with us. Take advantage of working with our knowledgeable recruiters and become part of their valuable network. Let’s connect.

 

 

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Boost Your Chances For a Job Offer at the End of the Year

Many applicants think that their job chances are very poor at the end of the year. Combined with the current unpredictability of the labor market and the resurging pandemic, the job search seems daunting and not very promising. Often applicants assume that hiring managers act according to the motto “everything is new in January” and therefore postpone their job search to January.

 

However, this attitude means that applicants have to assert themselves against a particularly high level of competition in January. Take advantage of the next few weeks and increase your chance of getting closer to your dream job. Get active now and read our encouraging arguments and practical tips on why this is the right time to focus on applying. 

 

Towards the end of the fourth quarter, some companies have not yet used up their annual budgets. That is why they often fill positions in the last few months of the year. In other cases, it is worthwhile applying because businesses are looking for support due to increased workload and projects that still need to be completed. Depending on the industry, the job chances of applicants in December can be quite good. Applicants should definitely stay tuned and keep an eye out for new job postings, especially for temporary employment. Some of the jobs might be temporary, but they are a perfect way to get started in a company. If you prove yourself, you will often be taken on after the project assignment has ended. 

 

A lot of  job offers are often not yet advertised. If you apply now, on your own initiative you actually have a good chance of getting your dream job. That is the case in particular for internal job openings, because companies often first look for suitable candidates from within their own ranks. Therefore, applicants with good contacts and the ability to network are more successful. It is difficult and time-consuming for companies to find the right employees. Therefore, they increasingly rely on recommendations and references. This applies to both internal and external candidates. Anyone who is aware of that and is actively growing their professional relationships, has a good chance of being placed as a potential candidate.

 

If you are discouraged in your job search, take stock of the year and set goals for the new year, so you have a clear direction of where you’d like to be in your next career step. Where do you want to be at the end of next year? How do you want to achieve these goals? Who can support you on this journey? Identify your ideal job situation and then define your strategy for how you will find the new job. If your plan is in place, bring your application documents up to date. This also includes your profiles on LinkedIn and other social media outlets. Many recruiters also check the social media profiles of interesting applicants. If the “overall picture” is correct, your job chances increase considerably. Connect virtually with a network that you can learn from and that may help you advance and get closer to your goal. Join groups and learn how you can sharpen your skills for the position you desire.

 

It is not in your control how many interviews you will score throughout the remainder of this year. So focus on what you can control and with a good strategy you will be able to start the new year perfectly prepared. You’ll have a clear lead over your competitors, but most importantly you will increase your motivation during an uncertain time. 

 

As an experienced provider of IT staffing, Engineering and consulting services, ESG Consulting can support you in your job search. Our expertise not only includes help in finding the right job, but also advice on all stages of the application process and beyond. Let’s connect and put together a plan. 

 

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Staying Focused During Uncertain Times – 4 Reminders

As we approach the end of this year 2020, there is so much uncertainty stirring around the world right now. After a long marathon of staying at home and for a lot of people, working from home, it is not easy to keep the focus on their goals and being productive. Here are some tips to motivate you to keep the focus on what is in your control and achieve your goals despite the uncertainties of 2020.  

 

  1. Create a Daily Plan

Set yourself a daily goal with the question: What do I want to achieve today? What is the priority? What tasks have to be done? The daily plan should be created the evening before, for the next day. At the end of the working day, you check your daily schedule. Whatever is still open, will be then transferred onto the next day’s to-do list and scheduled.

 

  1. Journaling & Gratitude Practice:                                                                                             

A daily writing habit has been shown to improve your ability to recall information, boost creativity, and lead to improved problem solving abilities and greater levels of self-awareness. Set a timer for 5-minutes and write down anything that comes to your mind. From tasks that need to be accomplished,to people you need to contact, to things you are grateful for… get it out of your head and onto paper. This simple exercise will give you clarity for the day ahead. 

 

  1. “Eat That Frog” First Thing In The Morning

First thing in the morning it is best to invest time in your most valuable priority. Don’t waste it on email or social media or administrative work. Use it to tackle those big tasks and activities that are the most challenging or important tasks of the day.

 

  1. Turn Off Digital Disruptions

Limit your exposure to negative news and anxiety causing notifications by turning off your social media alerts or close certain apps entirely, or at least for your workday. The fear and anxiety caused by the news is only going to keep you in a state of high alert. Therefore, you won’t be productive or creative. In fact, fear and creativity cannot co-exist.

 

Staying focused, productive, and accomplishing your goals can be difficult through times of uncertainty. Now more than ever it is important to take care of your physical and emotional health. Taking care of your basic needs and creating some structure in your day can help you bring back a little bit of certainty. Don’t forget to breathe… This too shall pass.

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