The Journey: Mindset → Process → Professional role

I graduated from University believing strongly in my purpose. What I had not yet built was the confidence to prove it to anyone else.

My name is Daisy Bull. I am a Japanese-British International Relations graduate.

At 22, I had just completed my degree and was searching for my first role in International Relations. I knew this was the field I cared about—particularly International Relations and Human Rights—but after repeated job rejections, my confidence began to weaken. I started questioning whether I was truly competitive, whether I was articulating myself well enough, and whether I was ready.

I joined the Mindset-to-Output Mentorship Programme because I needed guidance. More specifically, I needed to strengthen my confidence in communication and learn how to navigate the challenges of job hunting in a more structured way.

Mindset

The first shift happened internally. Through the mentorship, I began to recognise my skills as strengths rather than things to minimise or overlook. Instead of focusing on what I lacked, I learned to identify the value of my academic training, my cross-cultural background, and my genuine commitment to International Relations and Human Rights.

The repeated rejections had dimmed my passion. Working through my mindset helped me reconnect with why I chose this field in the first place. I rebuilt my self-confidence and started to see myself as someone with potential—not someone falling short.

Process

From there, the work became practical. I explored how to articulate my experience more effectively, how to structure my applications with clarity, and how to present myself confidently in interviews. I learned to communicate my ideas in a way that was focused and professional, rather than apologetic or uncertain. Instead of approaching applications with anxiety, I began approaching them with strategy.

Output

The shift did not happen overnight. It happened session by session, draft by draft, until one day I realised I was no longer the same person who had first shown up uncertain and diminished by rejection. With strengthened confidence and a clear approach, I secured my first professional role. The job itself was important—but what mattered just as much was how I arrived there. I was no longer applying from a place of insecurity. I was applying with clarity, intention, and a structured plan.

The Result

I regained clarity about who I am professionally and reinforced my identity as someone committed to international affairs and human rights. I developed practical communication skills that I will carry into every future opportunity.

The Mindset-to-Output Mentorship programme empowered me to turn my insecurity into confidence and uncertainty into a tangible career milestone. It gave me a foundation—not just for my first role, but for my long-term growth. My conversations with Margaret not only boosted my confidence in my career progression but also my passion for the academic side of things. I am now clear about what Master’s degree courses I am looking into and plan to take in the near future.