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It’s not hard to earn a great reputation in the office when you remain calm and collected. You deserve that promotion, you are worth it! Use these tips to garnish respect from your peers and help you to appear smart and confident from day one. A new job is an exciting time, this is a chance to succeed and be happy.
1. Don’t Brag About Your Skills on the First Day of a New Job
When you brag, you open yourself up for criticism. People are more apt to judge and condemn an open book. Leave some mystery that people want to get to know instead of a loudmouth that has done everything.
If you don’t reveal too much then people won’t be able to put together just how much you’re lacking in knowledge.
2. Dress Smarter Than Before For A New Job
One way to be noticed is to dress above your position. It may feel really inconvenient to wear slacks when others are wearing spandex but it’ll pay off.
Even managers realize that when they are dressing down, but anyone can get into a funk! Dress above them.
Remember to put thought into your dress attire; revealing, low-cut tops aren’t meant for the office and neither are short skirts.
Get in the habit of picking out your clothes on Sunday for the week. It’ll save you time and keep you from running around in the morning.
Related: 17 Items to Keep in Your Purse to Be Prepared For Any Situation
3. Don’t Boast About Big Education
There are always richer and thinner as they say but more educated should be included in there too. You may have worked really hard for your degree and it is a HUGE accomplishment. But no one wants to hear about it.
Your degree and education only needs discussing when someone directly asks about it or it comes up on a résumé.
Otherwise, this is a great case of if you lack educational credits it doesn’t carry much weight because your smarts aren’t necessarily tied to a piece of paper.
Stay informed about current events and be sure to vary your interests. A shared, well placed random fact could be a golden nugget and can stop people and make them pay attention to you.
4. Maintain Eye Contact to Seem Smarter
Shifty eyes are never a good thing when it comes to business deals or friends. When you’re talking to someone have confidence and make steady eye contact.
Blink freely, but don’t be afraid to lock eyes.
5. Keep Your Attitude Professional
If you want to progress in a company, you need to be viewed as non-biased. That means not getting too buddy-buddy with your co-workers and not getting involved in office drama.
Managers need to be cool and collected and if you fit that mold you will be noticed and trusted. That trust can turn into future opportunities.
6. Never say “No Problem”
When you value your own time and thoughts, other people will automatically do the same. If you constantly 
say “no problem” it gives others the idea that they can ask you to do whatever, whenever they want. It’ll be perceived that your time isn’t all that valuable.
If someone thanks your actions, the best thing to do is acknowledge excitedly. A simple “Absolutely!” or “Happy to” even.
7. Be Positive and Smile
A welcome smiling face with a positive attitude will always be something a good manager appreciates.
Take care of yourself and exude confidence. This will carry you further than you realize.
With a positive attitude, you will be seen as a leader and that will lead to opportunity for you in the future.
Do you need a some extra help with your positivity? I have you covered! Check out some helpful tips here: The Happier Life You Desire is Closer Than You Think!
8. Keep it Shut
The easiest way to seem smarter is to KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT! No one knows what you don’t know until you tell them.
Really, no one knows what you don’t know till you give away your opinion instead of a fact.
No one knows what you don’t know until you insist on being heard. People will listen to you. You don’t have to tell someone they need to. They will want to.
The less you talk, the more you can listen and absorb the information that is given to you. You learn from listening not from hearing yourself talk. There will be plenty of time to form an opinion and convey your thoughts to the person you are meeting with.
9. Don’t Offer Opinions Unless They’re Warranted
You don’t have to comment on everything during a meeting. Sometimes it’s best to let others do the talking. There’s usually a pretty good chance someone else will do “the dirty work” for you. People complain a lot, let someone else do it.
This is another opportunity for you to listen and learn. It’s important to see how your managers react.
If you’re going to complain, make sure you have a solution in mind to back it up. Other wise you risk sounding negative or insubordinate.
10. Ask Questions
An involved, interested person will always seem smarter. Even if you are asking a well-timed question. A probing question is something a speaker will always appreciate and feel thankful for.
Manager’s feel the same way, they want an attentive, responsive audience, even if it’s just during the morning rundown.
Pick a relevant question though, and something that the person answering is able to answer in a group setting. There’s no sense trying to nail someone in a group setting, no matter how much you’re itching to.
11. No Cussing
Have you ever noticed that when a manger cusses everyone kind of giggles? That’s because no one is supposed to cuss at work and it’s faux pas to do so. Keep that professionalism with you coworkers, not just in front of your manager.
There are plenty of words to express disdain or frustration, cuss words are kind of a cheap go-to and shows a lack of deeper expression.
If you’re mad enough to start spouting off, it’s time for you to go outside and take a walk. Cool off, collect yourself and keep your head on straight. Even if the worst luck happens to you at work, your manager will respect your ability to maintain composure in difficult situations.
12. Be Well Rested for Your New Job
Look alert and feel alert. When you’re well rested your brain is able to absorb and process information better. Not only that but when you look awake you will also appear more prepared for the day.
Get an easy makeup routine together for yourself. This will ensure you look put together everyday. Sloppy ill groomed people aren’t usually first in line for a promotion.
12. Depend On Yourself
Start a little side hustle if you enjoy a hobby. A strong sense of individuality will immediately bloom. When you take the bull by the horns, you are opening yourself up to possibility. Online commerce is the way of the future.
Check out: Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Profitable Blog Now!! to begin your blogging journey!
14. Set Goals
You would be shocked as to how many people lack a plan life. Are you one of them?
It’s important to set work related goals but keep your life goals as separate as possible. This will *help* keep your finances in order too. Point in case: A big raise doesn’t always call for a purchase that could potentially set you back in your ever-changing future.
I hope this post helps you feel more confident and ready to succeed at work! Remember you can achieve anything you put your mind to!
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Great post ! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you for commenting. I appreciate it. All the best.
Great tips. I totally need to work on my eye contact and taking on a more positive attitude. But, I think that I’ve kept it shut too much all my life that now even I doubt myself when I speak… I guess the key is in balance. 🙂
Sometimes work makes it really hard to be positive. I usually try to think of other reasons to smile, so I totally get it. Balance is absolutely key. Thanks so much for commenting.
This is such great advice. If you seem confident you’ll also come off confident and in turn you’ll feel more confident. Love these.
You’re so right! It’s crazy how people just gravitate to confident people. I think the attitude is contagious for sure. Thanks for the compliment and comment.
I love all of these tips! Confidence is something I’ve always struggled with and still often struggle but I’m always working to improve. Thanks for this post!
I’m glad you like them. They definitely help me on a daily basis. Let the self awareness be your confidence. That’s lightyears ahead of most people 🙂 Thanks so much for the comment.
These are some really great tips for appearing more confident. Listening more you are speaking can really help, so thanks for sharing what I think is a key tip. Also dress beyond your job, so that you send the signal that you are meant for more.
Thanks for the comment. I’m glad you found it helpful. So many people dress below their job, and don’t realize the damage it does. I hope you have a great day.