There&rsquo;s no denying we&rsquo;ve come a long way toward equality throughout history &mdash; though that doesn&rsquo;t mean we still don&rsquo;t have a long way to go. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) can still have a difficult time looking for and finding a successful career that fits both their needs and wants. 
Sound familiar? If you&rsquo;re BIPOC talent <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/jobs" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">on the hunt for a new job</a>, you might find yourself struggling with confidence and self-esteem. You might be worried about different workplace environments and lean on thoughts of self-rejection. Unfortunately, those thoughts and worries will only make your search harder, and could even cause you to settle for a career that&rsquo;s less than what you truly deserve. 
So, what can you do to build confidence in your job search? How can you feel more comfortable with yourself, and showcase your skills while also boosting your confidence when it comes to the jobs you&rsquo;re looking at? Let this be your guide to making your job hunt easier and more effective. 
<h2> Overcoming Self-Rejection</h2>
 One of the biggest hurdles you might face in your job search is your own lack of confidence. Unfortunately, <a href="https://www.marketplace.org/2021/08/03/new-research-shows-racial-discrimination-in-hiring-is-still-happening-at-the-earliest-stages/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">racial discrimination is still happening in the workplace</a> &mdash; including on job applications and throughout the interview process. You might worry so much about rejection that you set yourself up for failure before you even send in your resume. 
&nbsp;
There might not be much you can do to stop systemic racism in the workplace right away. However, you can start by getting a job and starting a long and successful career path. The more people of color who find success, especially in high-profile industries, the weaker racial stigmas and stereotypes will become. That starts with building your confidence and overcoming self-rejection throughout your search. 
&nbsp;
First, determine where your self-rejection is coming from. For many, it stems from having a poor financial mindset. You might think you&rsquo;re not &ldquo;good enough&rdquo; for a job with a high salary. Or, you might be so focused on finances&nbsp;that you&rsquo;re willing to apply for jobs that pay less than you deserve. You can combat those thoughts by <a href="https://www.nationaldebtrelief.com/9-tips-for-creating-a-positive-financial-mindset/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">creating a positive financial mindset</a>. Try things like: 
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li> Changing the way you think about savings</li>
<li> Being mindful of your spending</li>
<li> Focusing on long-term goals</li>
<li> Knowing your net worth and credit score</li>
<li> Starting a path toward financial freedom</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
If your financial mindset isn&rsquo;t the issue, consider what else could be hindering your confidence. Maybe you had a negative job experience in the past or you&rsquo;ve dealt with racism in your social life. When you get to the root of your self-rejection, you can start taking active steps toward overcoming it. If you choose to do nothing, that mindset will never change. 
<h2> Knowing What to Look For</h2>
 When you&rsquo;re actively looking for a job, you&rsquo;re really only one part of the equation. The other part is where you&rsquo;ll end up working. If you want to feel confident in your search, seek out places of employment that celebrate BIPOC employees. If you see a job posting or description that interests you, do your research on the company. Look for things like: 
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li> Diversity goals</li>
<li> EEO statements</li>
<li> Internships for people of color</li>
<li> Diversity training programs</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
If you apply for a job and get selected for an interview, that&rsquo;s when your real &ldquo;research&rdquo; on the company environment begins. Be prepared with questions for your interviewer, including what they like about working there, what positive things can they say about the culture, and how could the last person in that position have done things differently. The more prepared you are with detailed questions, the more information you&rsquo;ll get about the kind of environment you could potentially be stepping into. 
&nbsp; <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/EQaWIWibT0yBLl7KaXRL">&nbsp;
<h2> Marketing Your Skills and Strengths</h2>
 Finally, nothing will boost your self-esteem more than <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/effectively-marketing-yourself-as-bipoc-talent-w" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">marketing your skills and strengths</a>. If you have to, force yourself to see your worth and your value. When you do, you&rsquo;ll be able to convey it on paper in your resume and cover letter, and eventually in person if you get brought in for an interview.
&nbsp;
If you&rsquo;re not sure how to market your skills, start by building a strong resume. Or, consider putting together a <a href="https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/resources/professions-that-need-digital-portfolios.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">digital portfolio</a> if you&rsquo;re looking for a job in art, design, or marketing. Anything you can do to showcase your specific strengths will help you stand out from the competition. Attend networking events, share your passions, and create a quick &ldquo;elevator pitch&rdquo; to share with people who might have an influence over your career path. It&rsquo;s a great way to start feeling more confident about your strengths, and you&rsquo;ll get more comfortable talking about yourself the more often you do it. 
&nbsp;
Finally, work to avoid imposter syndrome. It can make you feel like you don&rsquo;t belong, or that you&rsquo;re not good enough for a specific career. BIPOC employees already have to deal with enough of that from the rest of the world. Remind yourself that you&rsquo;re just as qualified and skilled as anyone else and that you deserve the opportunities ahead of you. 
&nbsp;
Your perfect job is out there. Keep these ideas in mind to build your confidence while you&rsquo;re searching, and you&rsquo;ll feel better about starting a career knowing you have the skills, strength, and motivation to be successful. 
Content Contributor:
Ainsley Lawrence is a freelance writer from the Pacific Northwest. She is interested in better living through technology and education. She loves traveling to beautiful places and is frequently lost in a good book.

Find success in your job hunt as BIPOC talent. Boost your confidence and discover inclusive workplaces.

Building Confidence in the Job Search: A Guide for BIPOC Talent | Getting Hired

Building Confidence in the Job Search: A Guide for BIPOC Talent

For many people with disabilities, identifying themselves as such in the workplace evokes fear of discrimination and stigma. Self-Identification campaigns &ndash; typically referred to as Self-ID campaigns &ndash; are a great way for employers to prompt disability disclosure among their employees and continue to foster a culture of inclusion in the workplace.&nbsp;
Organizations planning to host a Self-ID campaign should provide multiple methods for collecting information from employees with disabilities. This can include allowing employees to self-identify anonymously, perhaps by sending out a general employee survey that includes the question, &ldquo;Do you have a disability?&rdquo; Some may use the U.S. Department of Labor&rsquo;s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs&rsquo; formal <a href="https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/sec503/self_id_forms/selfidforms.htm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Form</a>, while others may have more public opportunities for employees to share personal stories about their disability-related experiences. Regardless of which method an employer uses, Self-ID campaigns have numerous benefits for both employees and employers. Here are our top 5:&nbsp; 
<ol>
<li>They can help employers measure their success in disability hiring.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
<a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ofccp/section-503" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Section 503</a> of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits federal contractors and subcontractors from discriminating in employment against individuals with disabilities and requires employers to take affirmative action to recruit, hire, promote, and retain these individuals. To continue to improve employment outcomes, employers must be able to measure their success in disability hiring, which means employees with disabilities must self-identify. However, it is always important to remember that compliance with regulations is only one reason to create an equitable workplace!&nbsp; 
<ol start="2">
<li> They push back against stigma.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
There is a long history of the stigma that comes with having a disability. This can manifest as a fear of disability, the mindset of seeing disability as undesirable, or, most insidiously, as ableism&ndash; discrimination in favor of non-disabled people. By hosting and participating in a Self-ID campaign, employers and employees both seize the opportunity to show that disability is simply another form of diversity, much like gender and sexual orientation. A diverse workplace is a dynamic workplace.&nbsp; 
<ol start="3">
<li> It&rsquo;s good for business.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
According to the <a href="https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_NES_DEI4.0_Toolkit_2020.pdf" rel="noopener" target="_blank">World Economic Forum&rsquo;s 2020 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 4.0</a> toolkit, teams that have a diverse makeup are up to 36% more likely to outperform on profitability and have up to 20% higher rates of innovation. The bottom line is that diversity, which includes disability, outperforms homogeneity. Furthermore, it can be enormously beneficial for an organization&rsquo;s makeup to reflect the population they seek to market to.&nbsp; 
<ol start="4">
<li> They calm fears of disability discrimination at work.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
One of the most common reasons employees choose not to disclose their disability is because they fear negative consequences in the workplace, such as discrimination. By taking a &ldquo;loud and proud&rdquo; stance on disability visibility, employers and employees alike show that they value disability and would not take negative action against a team member with a disability. Self-ID campaigns can take a variety of forms, ranging from anonymous surveys to putting a &ldquo;face&rdquo; to disability and featuring selected employees who self-identify as disabled.&nbsp; 
<ol start="5">
<li> They can be a catalyst for the creation of a vibrant Employee Resource Group (ERG).</li>
</ol>
People are naturally attracted to those they share similar experiences&ndash; the workplace is no exception. Learning about other team members' experiences and disabilities through a Self-ID campaign can be the catalyst for creating a disability-specific Employee Resource Group (ERG).&nbsp;
&nbsp;
There are numerous reasons to host a disability Self-ID campaign. While it&rsquo;s important to know the number of employees with disabilities an organization has, fostering more inclusive workplaces and creating better experiences for all employees is arguably more important.&nbsp;
 
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Self-ID campaigns foster workplace inclusion, combat stigma, and improve disability hiring and business outcomes.

Five Ways Disability Self-ID Campaigns Benefit Workplace Culture | Getting Hired

Five Ways Disability Self-ID Campaigns Benefit Workplace Culture

Looking for a new job can be mentally and emotionally taxing, especially if you are someone with an already existing mental health issue.&nbsp; Even if you don&rsquo;t have an existing issue, it can feel difficult to stay positive when on the hunt for a job when the market seems to be against you.&nbsp; Here are some ways you can help look after your mental well-being while job hunting.
&nbsp;
<h2>Schedule your Day</h2>
This one is the advice everyone gives but is the most difficult to manage, set a schedule and stick to it.&nbsp; If you are in a position where you are job hunting and are currently employed trying to manage time for applications and interviews is a daunting task.&nbsp; Break down your tasks as much as possible so you know exactly what you are working on and when, and plan out the time to do them. 
If you are a person who is currently unemployed and looking for a job then this is even harder to stick to and requires a lot of self-discipline.&nbsp; Create a schedule of what you need to do and include breaks as part of the schedule.&nbsp; Force yourself to not only look for work but to actively practice self-care.&nbsp; Don&rsquo;t plan on spending 10+ hours job hunting, instead set a baseline of around 5 hours of job searching and career development with the rest of your day spent looking after your mental health.
&nbsp;
<h2>Set Realistic Goals</h2>
&ldquo;So many people will set a goal like &lsquo;I will be employed within the next two months' without considering the fact they cannot predict what the job market will look like,&rdquo; warns Christine Braun, a business writer at <a href="https://uk.eliteassignmenthelp.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Elite assignment help</a> and <a href="https://bestbritishessays.com/ukwritings-com-review/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">UK Writings review</a>.&nbsp; These unrealistic goals tend to come from older self-help books that talk about the law of attraction or the manifestation of goals.&nbsp; It can take several months to find work and this has only gotten more difficult in recent years. 
For your mental health, it&rsquo;s better to set smaller goals. Decide how you plan to apply for work and how many jobs you will apply to in a day.&nbsp; You may even make some tiered goals that are quantifiable and easy to accomplish.&nbsp; This also has the benefit of breaking work down into smaller manageable steps that show the progress you are making even if you haven&rsquo;t yet got to that final goal of employment.
&nbsp;
<h2>Practice Mindfulness and Self Care</h2>
The biggest thing to do when job searching is to ensure you are looking after yourself emotionally, physically, and mentally.&nbsp; Set time aside to deal with any surges of emotion you feel and try not to judge yourself too harshly if you haven&rsquo;t met a goal.
 Work out what self-care means for you on top of the basics like ensuring you drink enough water, get enough sleep and eat healthily.&nbsp; Work out the time these activities take and the materials needed and put these moments into your day.&nbsp; Even if it&rsquo;s only 10 minutes at the end of a long day it can go a long way to improving your mental health. 
It sounds very flowery and some people can find it strange to do at first but creating affirmations can help boost you when you&rsquo;re down. Put up notes that remind yourself why you&rsquo;re doing this and what your values are.&nbsp; Create little rituals for job applications where you have been unsuccessful in processing the feelings of rejection.&nbsp; Remember you are an individual and not your job, work does not define you.&nbsp; This is especially true if you&rsquo;ve been laid off or are unemployed.&nbsp; Take some time to learn new skills and appreciate what it is that makes you, you.
&nbsp;
<h2>Ask for Help</h2>
&ldquo;A lot of us don&rsquo;t like to do it but sometimes all you can do is be brave and ask someone for help,&rdquo; says journalist James Hernandez of <a href="https://revieweal.com/top-uk-writing-services/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Revieweal</a> and <a href="https://ukservicesreviews.com/oxessays/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">OX Essays review</a>.&nbsp; Whether it&rsquo;s reaching out to friends or family for advice, going to groups to help practice interviews and to help review your CV, getting in touch with former co-workers to help you network, or admitting you need some bigger help in the form of a therapist there is no shame in asking for help when it feels too much.
&nbsp;
Sharing the concerns you have can help lessen the burden you feel and may even pay dividends in your job search. Most of your friends or family will have been in a similar position before and will be happy to help you in whatever way you need.&nbsp; It&rsquo;s the hardest step but at the end of the day, it&rsquo;s the one that might benefit you the most.
&nbsp;
<h2>Wrapping Up</h2>
At the end of the day, remember that while a job is vital to be able to pay the bills it is not the only thing that matters.&nbsp; Ensure you take time to care for yourself and ask for help when you need it. Content Contributor: Writer and marketing strategist Rebecca Leigh, <a href="https://essayroo.com/write-my-essay" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Write My Essay</a> and <a href="https://bigassignments.com/cheap-assignment-help" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Big Assignments</a>, spends most of her work hours consulting with businesses or attending conferences relating to marketing and technology. When she has the time, she contributes to online magazines and blogs like <a href="https://liahelp.com/do-my-assignment" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Do My Assignment</a>. 
<hr>
 We are here to help you through your job search! Click <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/candidates" rel="follow noopener" style="color: #236fa1;" target="_blank">here</a> to register and set up your job seeker profile today to connect with our hiring employer partners!&nbsp;

Job hunting can be mentally taxing. Discover tips to maintain your mental well-being, set realistic goals, and practice self-care during your search.

Caring for Your Mental Health While Looking for a Job | Getting Hired

Caring for Your Mental Health While Looking for a Job

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Building Confidence in the Job Search: A Guide for BIPOC Talent

Five Ways Disability Self-ID Campaigns Benefit Workplace Culture

Caring for Your Mental Health While Looking for a Job

Building Confidence in the Job Search: A Guide for BIPOC Talent

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