Ready for a change?’ Don’t let lack of confidence hold you back

 

Millions of women in the UK are suffering from low self-esteem, affecting their work prospects, relationships and quality of life.

Research carried out by the Priory Group last year identified that half of women in the UK (50 per cent) consider themselves to be their own worst critics. Two out of every five women (39 per cent) don’t say what they think because they’re worried about what others might think of them and 57 per cent of women describe themselves as ‘people pleasers’. After looking at the Priory Group’s research, Pitman Training decided to investigate further. Pitman Training centres throughout the UK undertook informal research to find out what causes this lack of confidence and, particularly, how it impacts on the career prospects of women.

Claire Lister is managing director of Pitman Training Group. “We speak to hundreds of women every year whose confidence has taken a knock for a variety of reasons. Some left school with no qualifications, some put their career on hold to bring up a family and others simply feel that they’ve drifted into a job which doesn’t fulfil them. They all want to make changes in their lives but their lack of confidence is holding them back.”

“One in three adults regrets not having got better qualifications* while at school,” continues Claire. “However the thought of going back to a pressured, classroom environment scares many people away from going back into learning.”

The ‘Ready for a Change?’ campaign has been launched by Pitman Training to help women claim back their confidence and get ahead in the world of work.

The first step for any new learner is a confidential session with a training advisor. During this meeting they will be able to talk about their concerns, previous experiences of learning and the life changes they want to make. This will help the Pitman Training advisor to recommend the best course to suit each individual’s personality, ability and aspirations.
“Our confidence and self-esteem depend on so many things - from our qualifications, or lack of them, to the way we look and feel about ourselves,” says Claire. Pitman Training has commissioned six short and snappy fact sheets, written by female experts, to address some of these other barriers to career confidence. Subjects include, how to make sure your CV gets put in the ‘YES’ pile, top tips for taking control of your day and a dress-to-impress guide which doesn’t include spending a fortune on a new wardrobe. The fact sheets are designed to provide sensible and practical tips to complement what people learn at Pitman Training.

“We know that doing a course with Pitman Training will not automatically increase someone’s confidence and change their life. But we firmly believe that learning new skills in a friendly and supportive environment is a really positive first step,” concludes Claire.
To find out about the Pitman Training ‘Ready for a Change?’ campaign and get your free fact sheets please call 0800 0858270 to contact your local centre.

Research findings:

For access to the Priory Group’s report ‘I’m not good enough’, please visit www.prioryhealthcare.com/selfesteem. The Priory Group is Europe’s leading independent provider of specialist mental healthcare and education services.