- Why are people afraid of new jobs?
- How to deal with the fear of a new job
- New people are different people
- Fear of the new leader
- And again - like the first time?..
For a number of reasons, is your old job no longer satisfying? A small salary, work volumes growing every week, loss of interest in performing duties and their effectiveness, discord in the team, conflict situations with the boss... - you understand: yes, something urgently needs to be changed. But... as soon as it comes to concrete implementation and the search for a new job, you are seized by a monstrous panic, stressful psychological rejection of drastic changes in life and physical trembling in the knees. What will my new job responsibilities be and will I be able to handle them? How friendly will the team be? How will your relationship with your manager develop? Will I survive the probationary period and will I not lose my self-esteem? So many questions and not a single answer until you open that very new door to a new office.
Often the fear of a new job and a new team is literally paralyzing: perhaps such fear, inexplicable by modern intelligence, comes from ancient Soviet times, when running from one workplace to another was simply not accepted. A true Soviet person went to work immediately after college or technical school and worked in one place and in one work team until retirement. “She devoted forty-five years to our enterprise!”, “He went through a difficult career from an apprentice to a foreman!” - sound familiar? Then they chose a profession, as they say, for centuries and, even if something did not suit them very much, they put up with it, without dreaming of a new job. Conservatism of thinking has gone away over time, and people no longer cling to their jobs, but fear... fear of the new and unknown remains.
According to psychologists, changing jobs every four to five years is not only recommended, but also necessary, since this allows you to move on, acquire new skills and abilities, develop flexibility of thinking and not “grow moss on the spot.” But many people are suppressed by a natural desire to change something - and all because of it: fear of a new job and a new team.
Why are people afraid of new jobs?
Of course, not everyone strives for novelty in their work: for some, such a workplace that has become familiar, with responsibilities memorized by heart and the same work performed to the point of automatism, will seem much more convenient and calmer to them every day. Everything here is familiar and why change it to something new? But another category, and it is these people who will be discussed in the article, are terrified of changing jobs after sitting in one place for several years - even if they expect better salaries and better conditions. Why? There are several reasons for this:
Low self-esteem. Such people, when thinking about changing jobs, will certainly ask themselves questions: what if in a new job they will have to do something that they have not encountered before? What if I'm not smart enough and look stupid? What if new opportunities turn into prolonged exhaustion of nerves and awareness of one’s own incompetence? Lack of communication skills. If a person is not sociable and finds it difficult to make new acquaintances, including business ones, the issue of adaptation to another work team is especially acute. This is not entirely the fault of the employee himself; much depends on the team he joins. In an established women's team, for example, a new woman may not be accepted at all - communication will remain alien and aggressive, no matter what you do. Another negative option may be that you take the place of a person who was loved and respected in the team, but due to circumstances he can no longer work: constant comparison with him may be far from being in your favor. Overthinking yourself. Sitting and endlessly thinking about new people, new tasks, a new office, realizing that you are not ready to leave a warm and so familiar place, can lead to quite serious stress. You should either calm down and let go of the thought of possible prospects, or take a breath and exhale and plunge headlong into your new work life, solving problems as they arise. Fear of bosses - this point partially follows from the first: low self-esteem does not allow one to immediately position oneself as a competent, punctual and responsible employee, and therefore a person begins to tremble even before entering the boss’s office. If the boss turns out to be correct and gives you time to adapt to your responsibilities and the new team - hurray, this difficult psychologically and emotionally stage will pass almost unnoticed for you. If the leader is strict, stern and unfriendly, then a negative scenario may develop.
The scale of the new work is scary. Moreover, the “scale” is in the literal sense: moving from a small cozy office to a huge glass office is psychologically difficult. A person gets used not only to the environment, but also to the volume of this environment.
The reasons for fear of a new job undoubtedly have a psychological basis, and therefore, only by understanding them can one overcome this depressing phobia
Tips if you haven't gone to work for a long time
Emotional burnout - how to deal with the problem, is it possible to overcome it?
After a long break, going back to work is always difficult. This is due to two main difficulties:
- I’m afraid to go out to work - I don’t remember what to do;
- It’s difficult to overcome your own laziness and force yourself to get up early every day.
It is easier to compete with an external enemy than to overcome your own laziness. A long vacation relaxes, demobilizes your strength and deprives you of your potential. The longer a person does not burden himself with any load, the more difficult it is to start changing. The first step towards starting a career can be self-discipline. Waking up at 7 a.m. every morning to exercise, get out of the house for a run, or walk a few miles around the block is a great start to evening out your routine. Not everyone succeeds in this simple task: 80 out of 100 people turn off the alarm clock in the morning and continue to sleep with the thought that they will definitely get up tomorrow, but today they need to get their last sleep.
Self-discipline starts early in the morning
How to deal with the fear of a new job
It happens that the thought of a new place of work is exhausting not only emotionally, but also physically: a person loses his appetite, at night he has nightmares with his beast boss, angry colleagues and dissatisfied clients (if he is supposed to work in the service sector), his head hurts, his blood pressure rises , palms sweat and it’s difficult to breathe. These are all manifestations of a panic attack, which is almost impossible to cope with with simple self-exhortations - you need to seek advice from a psychologist or, as many choose, abandon the thought of new prospects.
If the fear of a new job is not so strong, then try to “persuad” yourself: in the end, you can always just try - and, if you “don’t get used to” in a new place, move on in search of real interest and comfort.
Talk to yourself: if the advantages of a new job outweigh the disadvantages, and the desire to change your life is still strong, there is every chance of finding a new and interesting activity
Ambitious people are encouraged to try new things by the possibility of their own professional growth and the acquisition of useful skills: if the upcoming work promises to be successful in terms of a career, then in order to achieve the desired goal a person is capable of much - fear will recede on its own.
Diet
Diet is of great importance for the health of the entire body, especially during times of exposure to stressful situations caused by job changes. Stress can increase your need for magnesium, which should be combined with vitamin B6 for better absorption. A good idea for breakfast before work is porridge with bananas; while working, you should eat, for example, nuts or a few cubes of dark chocolate. For lunch, try sandwiches with salmon and avocado or a salad with plenty of tomatoes and flaxseed oil—snacks that are equally rich in essential potassium and healthy fats and acids.
Diet - anti-stress
At lunchtime, it is worth increasing the consumption of pasta and cereals - in particular buckwheat, vegetables: spinach, sauerkraut, broccoli, legumes, lean meat. Stress weakens the body and causes a decrease in immunity, and to strengthen the latter, it is worth increasing the supply of vitamin C, which, thanks to its antioxidant properties, protects cells from free radicals and increases the absorption of iron. This vitamin is found in berries, parsley and peppers.
Zinc and vitamin D are also important for the functioning of the immune system, the synthesis of which requires sunlight. It is very difficult to provide the body with enough vitamin D through diet alone, so in the fall and winter it is often recommended to add berries, parsley and peppers to your diet.
New people are different people
The new workforce is not teenage children who are capable of “harassing” the newcomer. In your thoughts, start from the fact that adults will meet you - of course, they will not hug and kiss you, this is not America. And if you are met with indifference, well, that’s not bad: having figured out how to behave in a new team, over time you will become part of this close-knit team. Try to belittle your capabilities less, don’t cry over your own clumsiness and mistakes (we all have them), don’t act arrogantly, but don’t try to get close to your colleagues in the very first days. Stop, take a closer look, listen more than you talk, don’t be intrusive and don’t torment yourself with questions: “What are they saying behind my back?” and “How do they look at me?”
You should morally prepare yourself for the fact that even a wonderful person cannot always be accepted by an established team, and he will remain a stranger: well, this makes it possible to concentrate only on work issues and work relationships.
If you are afraid of new people, including at work, develop a sense of independence and self-confidence, get rid of increased sensitivity to the opinions of others
Lonely people of both sexes who panic in front of new colleagues will be helped by the thought: what if I meet Her or Him there? Think about it - this often happens: and then you won’t trudge to work like you’re going to hard labor, but will fly on wings.
Fear of the new leader
Fear of the boss is a separate category of “work” fears: there is always the risk of getting a new boss, even without changing jobs. This is not the worst case scenario: you remain in the same team, at your same workplace, and it is possible that the work performed will remain the same. But people differ from person to person, and managers also meet with different characters and visions of the organization’s work - from literate and correct people to tyrants and adherents of a totalitarian regime. Whether you are afraid or not of the new boss, there are only two options: either you learn to communicate with the boss, despite his views on work and subordinates, or you should think about looking for a new job.
Getting along with your boss is a whole science, the study of which will have to be approached responsibly and seriously (whether you like it or not). A manager is the person on whom your work life and the acceptance of its results directly depend. After all, the boss is also subject to many requirements, which, if necessary, you can clarify: the specifics of the assigned tasks, job responsibilities and the ability to fulfill them (including technical ones), criteria for evaluating the work done. Yes, not all bosses are good, and sometimes you may have to put the manager in his place - this is also a communication experience, and it will certainly come in handy in the future.
Orderliness
Think about the time spent searching for the necessary documentation or the necessary files on your computer. A new job is a great opportunity to change everything, and from the very beginning you should determine how to organize and store the materials you create so that they can be found quickly and used effectively.
Desktop order
Also keep your desk tidy. Put everything in its place and buy an organizer. Where there is order, there is structure and it is easier to work.
Important! Don't be late and try to do everything on time.
And again - like the first time?..
A lot depends on the temperament and character of the person being employed: some take to heart the sidelong glances and whispers of colleagues in the corners, others distance themselves so much that such “impenetrability” will border on indifference and unhealthy indifference. Sociable people are usually not tormented by questions about how comfortable they will seem in a new, unfamiliar place - counting on the power of their own charm and charisma, they will indeed be in the black. A cheerful and sociable character, a reluctance to gossip, and a correct attitude towards work do wonders: it is easy for such a person to adapt to a new business community, make friends, and create normal contact with his boss.
It will be more difficult for those who are obvious introverts, but such people usually do not strive to work in huge companies with hundreds of employees - they understand that they feel more comfortable, more confident and calmer in a small-sized office with a minimum of colleagues.
Separately, it is worth noting the case when the negative experience of starting a new job already took place in life - yes, then I had to endure the nagging of the boss, the lack of help and understanding of colleagues, and possible mistakes in work responsibilities. If a person has made conclusions for himself, then, despite the fear of another job, it will be easier for him even with sad past experiences. In such cases, it is important not to allow yourself to self-program yourself for another work failure: the scenario will not necessarily repeat itself, and therefore go “for the first time to first grade” with pleasant excitement and expectations of only positive and useful things.
And finally. The only really effective way to get around the fear of a new job and a new team is the need for “daily bread”: a person must support himself, and if he also has a family and children, then the need to earn money to support them, pay utility bills, education, clothes and shoes cast aside all kinds of fears. For the sake of the salary necessary for life, people are able to sacrifice even their own phobias, nurtured over the years: fear will give way to interest and vital necessity, stress will pass, and changes in work history will be for the better - until you try, you won’t know!
Overcome stress
If you want to know how to become confident and increase self-esteem, you can read about it at this link, I’m sure you will find a lot of useful information.
How to increase self-esteem
Lifestyle also has a great influence on well-being, and this factor can both increase resistance to stress and consequences, and aggravate it. Therefore, establishing a healthy lifestyle gives additional strength to adapt to a new situation.
