By Austin Meyermann, President of Hunter Crown, LLC.
As a recruiter who works closely with talented professionals seeking their next meaningful role, I’d like to offer you a slightly different piece of advice: cultivate and maintain a clear, strong inner voice, because how you talk to yourself affects how boldly you step into the next chapter of your career.
First, let’s define what we mean by “inner voice” and “inner critic.” In her article “How to Identify Your Inner Critic and Elevate Success,” Michelle Cederberg outlines how a persistent inner critic can undermine our confidence, shrink our ambitions, and steer us away from growth. The inner critic is that voice urging you to stay safe—“Don’t apply for that role,” “You’re not qualified enough,” “Someone else will do it better”—all the while whispering (or shouting) that you’re not enough.
From the perspective of your job search, developing your inner voice means consciously choosing which voice you listen to when opportunity knocks.
Your inner voice says: “I have transferable strengths. I can stretch and learn. I bring value.”
Your inner critic says: “Why bother? They’ll find someone else. You’ll fail.”
If you let the critic dominate, you may self-select out of roles, under-sell yourself in interviews, or stall the process altogether.
Here’s how to build and sustain that healthier inner voice:
1. Identify your inner critic
Cederberg recommends naming and even personifying your inner critic (“the grumpy old man,” “the schoolmarm,” etc.). This helps you recognize when it shows up.
In your job search, ask yourself: What triggers my self-doubt? Is it cold-calling hiring managers? Submitting applications when you don’t meet 100% of the requirements? Interviewing? Notice the phrases your critic uses and how they influence your behavior.
2. Separate the critic from your voice of purpose
Once you “see” the critic as a separate character, you can choose whether to listen. Then you can amplify your own voice:
“I’m moving toward a role that aligns with my strengths in water/wastewater treatment sales and business development. I’ve helped manufacturing clients solve technical problems. I can bring that experience to the industry.”
3. Take small, bold steps
According to Cederberg, once you understand how your inner critic influences your behavior, you can choose to do something different—something aligned with positive self-belief.
In job search terms: instead of waiting until you’re “fully ready,” you apply for a role that interests you even if you don’t check every box. Instead of sending a generic cover letter, you craft one that shares your story with confidence. These incremental actions strengthen your inner voice.
4. Maintain and refresh that voice
The inner critic doesn’t disappear—it simply grows quieter when you maintain self-awareness and take positive action. As you network and interview, check in with yourself: What is my inner voice saying? What is the critic trying to hijack?
Use a journal or voice memo to reflect on moments when you felt confident or moments when you held back. Over time, you’ll strengthen your trust in your voice over your critic.
5. Align your job search with your purpose and value
Your inner voice becomes unmistakably powerful when it is rooted in meaningful purpose: your value proposition, your track record, and your story of transformation. With your background—equipment manufacturers, water and wastewater treatment systems, recruiting for roles in stable industries—you already carry a rich narrative. Let your inner voice frame you not just as a candidate, but as a catalyst for companies seeking essential talent.
Your résumé, your LinkedIn profile, and your interview skills all matter. But none of them will land you the job if your inner voice is drowned out by skepticism, hesitation, or fear.
Place yourself in the driver’s seat of your internal conversation.
Let the inner critic be a background character—acknowledged but not in control.
Let your own voice lead.
That is how you show up intentionally, confidently, and ready for the next role you didn’t just dream of—but deliberately pursued.