Besides competence and professionalism, one of the things that HR personnel also look at in a candidate is their self-esteem and confidence. You may have all the capabilities a company and position are requiring, but if you’re not able to sell yourself and your skills the right way because of your low self-esteem, you may not land the job at all.

If you want to be employed with the right company for your talents or want a healthier career path free of stress, learn how to boost your self-esteem with a few measures.

Remember These 8 Rules to Boost Your Self-Esteem

1. Small Steps Will Get You There

If you’ve lived most of your life with little confidence, don’t expect to learn it overnight. Aim low for now and set goals with realistic expectations.

Recognize the things you’re good at and focus on that—eventually, you’ll be more confident in doing that and in knowing all your other strengths.

2. Recognize Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Having little self-esteem comes hand in hand with doubting your talents. There may be some things that you’re not good at, and that’s fine.

Learn to differentiate between your strengths and weaknesses to identify what you need to improve. There are now many ways to learn what you do not know. Once you become a more capable employee, you’ll start to see a growth in your self-esteem.

3. Fake It ‘Till You Make It

You’ll be surprised as to how many people actually fake their self-esteem like you do. If you’re timid, this may seem like a bold step, but it’s a step into knowing how competent you really are.

Faking it helps you to take on more risks and accept that failure is part of life.

4. Learn to Take Criticisms

As mentioned, no one is ever spared from failure; and failure comes with people who will criticize you for it. Some people have a hard time taking criticisms, even if they were made to make them recognize your mistakes and to better themselves.

If you want to be more confident, don’t wallow in your failure. Rather, accept your mistake, learn from it, listen to the feedback constructively, and move on.

5. Treat Yourself as Your Best Friend, Both in Words and Actions

You eat, sleep, and have fun because it brings you comfort and happiness. But in words, you don’t treat yourself the same. The trick is to be your own best friend—not just in actions but also in words.

Talk about yourself with love and respect because being too critical will just bog you down further. Celebrate your success, no matter how small.

[RELATED: 6 Of The Most Common Negative Thoughts and How To Combat Them]

6. Trust Your Instincts When Making Decisions

You are probably used to asking other people when making decisions for yourself. When you do this too often, you lose sight of who you are and what you want. But your intuition is also there to help you—all you need to do is to listen to your gut.

Ask yourself if the step you’re taking with this decision will bring about the outcome you’re looking for and if it’s the right thing to do. Believe in yourself, even if it seems hard sometimes.

7. Do Things to Please Yourself, Not Others

Sometimes, you listen to other people to satisfy them. Eventually, you’ll also make decisions not for yourself but for others because it’s what they like and what makes them happy, which should not be the case.

You should do things because it’s what you, yourself, like. If you want to build your self-esteem, know what you like and what you don’t, even if they go against other people’s.

8. There Will Always Be Someone Better

Accept the fact that there are others who are better than you. Never compare yourself to these people because you’ll always find yourself inferior to them. There’s nothing wrong with not being better—instead, realize that you have your own skills and things that you do well.

If you want to be as good as other people in some aspects, make them your inspiration instead of being envious of them.

Boosting your self-esteem can be a long journey, especially for those who have lived their lives feeling inadequate. Self-esteem is not only useful for the betterment of your career, but it’s also necessary for other aspects of life.