5 Game-Changing Job Search Wins That Help People Build Real Confidence Fast
4-minute read to transform your career transition from overwhelming to strategic action. Save this for later!
27 job postings. One weekend. Zero responses.
Not because she wasn't qualified. Because my client's ADHD brain couldn't distinguish between a LinkedIn rejection and the masked bad guy from a scary movie.
If you've ever found yourself with 19 open tabs at 2 AM, perfecting the same cover letter for the 7th time, there's nothing wrong with you. Your brain is doing exactly what it's designed to do - protect you from perceived threats.
After 20 years navigating executive roles with ADHD, I've cracked the code. These strategies helped an undervalued program manager increase their salary from $50K to $100K without another degree or certification. These tactics apply to every job seeker, regardless of experience level, and aren’t just applicable to those who are neurodiverse.
#1: Map Your RSD Patterns Before You Start
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria affects nearly everyone with ADHD, but it shows up differently for each person.
Before you open a single job board, identify your unique anxiety trigger-response pattern:
When you’re about to do something scary or uncomfortable -
What physical sensation hits first? (chest tightness, stomach drop, face heating)
What automatic thought follows? ("I always mess things up," "I'm not enough")
What happens next? (freeze, can't hit submit)
The key is that you're not trying to stop feeling; you're creating space between the trigger and the response so you can regulate.
#2: Build Your "Hype Machine" (Your Brain's Evidence Bank)
Your ADHD brain needs concrete evidence to override RSD and believe you're capable.
Step 1: The Skills Inventory: List EVERYTHING you know how to do. Not just professional skills, include that you can “organize chaos”, or remember every plot twist from your favorite series. Your brain doesn't distinguish between "professional" and "personal" competence; it all counts as evidence.
Step 2: The Translation Game. Take each skill and flip it:
"Organized my kid's chaotic birthday party for 30 children" = "Project management under pressure"
"Connect seemingly unrelated ideas during meetings" = "Creative problem-solving and Systems Thinker"
"Can explain cryptocurrency to my 70-year-old dad" = "Technical communication and stakeholder education"
Step 3: Middle School Brag Book - Write wins as if you're 11. "I saved $50K because I'm a spreadsheet wizard." No humility allowed.
This isn't delusional, it's giving your nervous system the evidence it needs to feel safe taking risks. AND - that you may be more ready for that big job than you realize.
#3: Regulate + Ritualize
Before any job search session or networking outreach, spend 3 minutes getting regulated. Use whatever methods work for you - for some people, visualization doesn’t feel believable. Create a regulation menu (much like a dopamine menu, which works here too!). For Example:
Box breathing: 4 counts in, hold 4, out 4, hold 4 (repeat 4 times)
Stepping Into Embodiment: Physically step through a doorway, into a new feeling
Cold water: Splash on wrists, activates your dive response, instantly calming
When you start from a regulated state, you're less likely to spiral.
#4: Stop Cold Applying. Get Intel From the Inside
Cold applications: 3% response rate
Networking: 80% of positions filled
Find ONE person who isn't the hiring manager:
LinkedIn search: [Company] + that department
Message someone on that team or in the same part of the org
Ask for 15 minutes about culture and what makes people successful there
Your ADHD superpower here: Genuine curiosity. You're not "networking" - you're learning about something interesting.
If you want to learn more about networking your way into a role, check out my other post: How To Turn Cold Applications into Warm Connections →
#5: Your Success Truly Helps Others
Job searching activates your stress response repeatedly. I helped one client craft a game-changing pre-application ritual: before opening any job board, she'd play one minute of her favorite hype song and move to it. Then, and this was key, she'd spend 30 seconds imagining the good she could do in that role.
Not for herself or the company. For the people her work would impact.
For those of us wired to care deeply about others (hello, RSD-driven people-pleasers), this reframe channels our natural empathy into fuel for our own success. You're not being selfish by advancing your career; you're expanding your ability to help.
Your Next Step: From Overwhelm to Strategy
These strategies are most effective when tailored to your individual brain. Start with just ONE Strategy this week. Master it before adding another.
Does this sound like you? I'm hosting 8 free strategy sessions (in exchange for a few interview questions) in September. Let's talk. Reply to this email.
Not ready for a call? Save this email and try just Strategy #1 this week. Sometimes the smallest step forward is exactly what your nervous system needs.
Grab My Free Guides On:
1. Get Promoted to Your Dream Role: A Guide to Confidently Articulate Your Skills to Become a Sought-After, Top Earner in Any Industry.
2. Your Escape Plan: My 20-Minute Guide to Know If You Should Stay or Go in Your Current Role