Scared of getting a new Job? A better job is waiting for you. These tips for overcoming fear of change can give you the boost you need.
For most job seekers, the phrase “new job” is exciting because it signals opportunities to learn new skills, expand your network, and build on your experience. But change can also be intimidating. If you’re scared of getting a new job, you’re not alone.
Certain parts of the job search process can be more terrifying than things that go bump in the night. According to a 2018 Monster poll, the majority (38%) of U.S. respondents said they were most afraid of interviewing, while 33% might not even make it that far because they’re scared their CV might go “into a black hole on the Internet” when applying to jobs. Other fears come toward the end of the job search process, which include negotiating salary (16%) and being turned down for a job offer (13%). Plus, what if you get a new job and you hate it?
So while job search fear is a real thing for many people, you can’t let it crush your career. If you find you’re having a hard time getting your wheels in motion to start your job search, it might be time to confront your fears. After all, time doesn’t move in reverse.
“The average person spends roughly one-third of their life at work,” says Kelsey Bye, a career coach in San Francisco. “That’s a lot of time to let yourself feel unfulfilled, unchallenged, underpaid, and unappreciated.”
Scared to leave your current employer?
“What will they do without me?”
Loyalty is an admiral trait and certainly a very attractive one to potential employers, but what about your loyalty to your career? Don’t forget, you have to be the one looking out for your own best interest.
Face your fear: Give your all until the very last minute of your employment, that way you leave as the person who gave their best every single day, not the person who dropped the ball
You are what you do.
People often take refuge in their title, the company they work for, or their industry as identifying their self-worth. When that is the case, the idea of transitioning to a new job can feel like you are transitioning your identity—not just what you do to pay the bills. And that can be as unsettling as looking in the mirror and seeing someone else’s face instead of your own.
Face your fear: Get to know yourself better before you take a leap. Understand your strengths and how you can and want to contribute to an organization. A simple way to tap into this is to practice self-affirmation. After all, you’re more than just your job, you are a complex, well-rounded being with interests, broader qualities, and diverse skills.
Worried you might hate your new job?
Scared to get a job because of the unknown? Well, some do say that the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t.
When things aren’t great in your job, it’s easy to assume that’s just the way it is: long hours, bad supervisors, demanding clients, but when things are bad, you owe it to yourself to go in search of better.
Face your fear: Plenty of people actually don’t loathe their jobs—in fact, a whole lot of people really love what they do. So conquer your fear and your ignorance by doing some research about other companies. Go on informational interviews. Investigate the cool company perks that are offered elsewhere. And of course, the best advice, get yourself in touch with a good recruiting company like VIP, who can guide you through the process from start to finish. Here you can get help with just about anything to do with getting a new job, from help with your CV, getting information about potential employers, interview prep, and most important, transparent and honest feedback, which will help you moving forward.
You absolutely hate being the newbie.
You’re comfortable at your current job. You have a routine, you have friends, you know how to find the best coffee in the building. Leaving that comfort zone and having to figure out the office politics—let alone where to eat lunch—among a new set of co-workers can be terrifying.
Face your fear: “The unknown can certainly be troubling, but it’s seldom as bad as we think it’s going to be,” Bye says. One way to get over your fear of being the new kid on the block at work: Start pushing yourself to meet new people now. Seek out new experiences. Join new groups and clubs outside of work. The more practice you have meeting new people and navigating the unknown, the more comfortable you’ll be stepping out in search of a new job.
Scared you won’t find a job? Do this
Are the demons in your head telling you that you’ll never find a job? Don’t listen them. Call VIP today and see how easy it is to get the job you really want. As a VIP candidate, you not only get job alerts emailed right to your inbox, which cuts down on the amount of time you’d spend combing through ads, but you will get a good knowledge of the market place and working environments prior to interviews. This will give you a heads up on what to expect for both interview stage and more importantly moving forward. A job has to be right for you, just as much as you have to be right for the job.
Let VIP help make the job search process a little less scary for you.