New job anxiety – You walk through the door on the first day of your new job, and here it is: this shrinking fear that tells you that you don’t know anyone, you don’t know how things are done, you don’t know who you talked to, and you don’t know how friendly or professional you should be. You don’t even know where the good coffee is.
And for many of us, this is just the beginning. Starting a new job can trigger deep feelings of anxiety, making you feel like you are on the outside, or just not good enough, or younger than you really are.
People are prone to nervousness and anxiety in many cases, especially when they are facing new situations or changes. While a new job is not something you should be afraid of, it can make you nervous because it is something unknown. You may not have previous experience working in this particular position or company, and starting a new job is an important change in your life. Acknowledging your nerves is the first step in overcoming your anxiety and feeling confident when starting your new job.
Is it normal to feel nervous about a new job?
Nerves are the body’s natural response to change and the unknown, dating back thousands of years to a time when most of what humans did not know, did not understand or could not predict, were life threatening.
However, feeling nervous before any pivotal change in our lives is also somewhat necessary. When starting a new business, for example, a manageable level of nerves can actually help you perform at your best and ensure you make a positive first impression from day one. It’s when those nerves become uncontrollable, however, that they can begin to destroy your efforts to get yourself off to the best possible start.
Starting a new job can be an exciting and stressful time. Thinking about starting something new that creates a new identity within a job can lead to joy, creativity, and motivation. However, the challenges of being the new person and establishing yourself in a new environment can be daunting and stressful. It is important to acknowledge these ups and downs as well as the negatives, mitigations and challenges when presenting a new opportunity. But more than that, it is important to find a balance in order to preserve yourself and your future.
Ways to Overcome new job anxiety and boost your Work Confidence
1. Get to know your new boss.
Call your new boss a week or two before your start date to find out what your boss wants to accomplish on Day One, First Week, and First Month. The call also presents an opportunity for you to obtain materials that will help you ramp up your new business. For example, software engineers may want documentation that helps them expedite a product that a new employer is building or on technologies the company uses that they are not familiar with.
Discussing your new job with your new boss before you start a major survival strategy is for two reasons. It helps calm your anxiety and shows that you are self-conscious. “A manager will be more tolerant of someone if they feel this person is making an effort, trying to integrate [with the team] and learn,” he adds.
2. Get to know your new co-workers
You can ease new job anxiety or concerns about a new workload or learn a new corporate culture by talking to a few of your co-workers soon before you start your new job. Chances are, you met one or two of them when you did an interview for the job. Ask your boss if it would be a good idea to contact some of these people to learn more about the culture and the everyday work environment. Respect their time by summarizing these conversations. Also, you have an agenda – two or three specific questions that you want answered, like, how much work? What is the culture like?
If you didn’t have the opportunity before your job interviews to meet people, the two or three week period between accepting a job offer and starting a job is a great opportunity to do so. The more comfortable you feel [at work] before you start, the better. “
3. Avoid hiding how you feel
The first step is to realize how you are feeling and that your feelings are related to something specific. You have realized that you are feeling stress and are looking for ways to manage it and move through it. Well done! This is much more difficult than you think.
How many times have you woke up tired, groggy, feeling your best, and having no idea why? You think it might be the cheese you ate last night, or maybe you are dehydrated or your sleep has stopped. There are a number of reasons to choose from.
While you definitely don’t want to get bogged down in thinking all the reasons why you don’t feel your best all the time, having a basic understanding of your emotional, mental and physical bodies and how you interact with the environment can really help you transition into your true powerhouse.
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4. Ask for support
I know you feel you have to be strong, keep everything together, and be brave. But sometimes getting support can be helpful. Know that the need for support is not a weakness, in fact, having the correct support structure in place is a strength. It is positive to realize that there are some areas that can be developed alongside someone else who has these skills.
It’s not always possible to talk to a friend or family member about job-related problems, especially if they don’t have first-hand experience of what you are going through.
Career trainers are great support systems. They have been where you are now and can take you through the steps you are about to take. Having a coach will help you overcome unexpected challenges, remove self-doubt, and thrive in your new role. Together, you can work on matching strategies to specific situations so you can get the most out of your work experience.
ALSO CHECK:
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We hope you really found this article on new job anxiety helpful. Let us know what you think at the comment box. Share to help someone get a job or make an informed decision about their career today.