Three ways junior lawyers can build confidence

When did you start feeling confident at work? For many young lawyers it takes a few years to feel like we know what we're doing — "imposter syndrome" and "workplace anxiety" are common early on. Three things that help overcome the stress and build self-confidence:

1. Track your learning and accomplishments (the "brag book")

It's easy to lose sight of the skills we've gained and too easy to fixate on recent mistakes. Take a longer view with a document, notebook or email folder that tracks:

1. thank-you emails from clients or colleagues for work done well;
2. key projects you were involved in;
3. work that proves you can now do something you couldn't before.

It's a great reference when you feel bad about a mistake — and very handy at performance-review time.

2. Play to your strengths

Shoring up weaknesses matters, but focusing only on what you struggle with is stressful. Take the initiative to find tasks that draw on your strengths or the parts you enjoy. Good at writing or marketing? Help the BD team. Got coding skills? Automate a workflow. Comfortable researching or presenting? Offer to research and present on recent developments (great for CPD points, too).

3. Be honest and ask questions

I'm not a fan of "fake it till you make it" — especially in a team environment, and a profession where people rely on your advice. It's better to be honest and ask whenever you're not 100% clear, even if it's less catchy. Don't pretend you know what's going on because you're worried about wasting someone's time. Asking questions shows you're willing to learn and care about getting it right — and you never have to worry about being "exposed".