The United States labor force is set to grow by 0.5%, meaning we’ll see about 8.5 million people enter the job market. Landing a new job is as exciting as it is nerve-wracking. You’ve beaten all the odds to land your dream job, but somehow you can’t get past the anxiety. Being anxious about your job is completely normal, and can sometimes get a tad overwhelming. That’s because you’re exposed to a fresh set of challenges the moment you start a new job. If you want to start your new job on the right foot, we’re here to help.
Today, we’ll be highlighting a couple of tips for a new job to help you ease anxiety.
1. Confidence Is Key:
The best piece of advice for starting a new job is to be confident in whatever you do. Sure, it’s normal to be a little timid at first, but don’t let it get the best of you. Approach all work situations with confidence, especially those that directly relate to your work.
Lack of confidence may paint the wrong picture to your superiors and workmates. It’s easy for someone to think you’re incompetent when you’re too scared to take on responsibilities. It will take you a while to completely get the hang of things, but before you do, ensure you’re confident in whatever you know.
2. Practice Self Validation:
If you don’t feel confident enough for the job, it’s time you practice some self-validation. Tell yourself positive affirmations to take your confidence up a notch. Start with the fact that you were the one selected from a large pool of skilled and talented job seekers.
Also, remind yourself of some of your past achievements, like how you managed to start a small business on the side. You can even pride yourself on how you manage to squeeze in a workout despite having a busy workday. These positive affirmations will help you get the self-validation you need to start your job on the right foot.
3. Get to Work Early and Leave Late:
When starting a new job, you want to create the best first impression you can on your boss. One easy way to do so is to get to work early and leave a little later. Doing so shows that you have a positive work ethic and are more than excited about your new job.
For some, it’s a little too much to ask, but give it a whirl. Plus, getting to work early lets you prepare for the day’s activities, giving you a slight edge over others. Do this for the first few weeks and aim to make it a permanent habit.
4. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions:
Most companies try to make their new job onboarding process as comprehensive as they can. However, some jobs are just too complex for a two-week onboarding exercise to cover. If there are still aspects about your job that you don’t understand, feel free to ask questions about them.
Don’t be afraid that asking questions will make you look incompetent or unknowledgeable. You’re better off looking incompetent than making a serious blunder on whatever task your boss assigns you. Plus, asking questions gives you the opportunity to break the ice and interact with your coworkers.
5. Keep Your Eyes and Ears Peeled:
Try to be as observant as you can during the first few weeks of your new job. Observe the organization and learn the work culture, its conventions, and the general work environment. No one will flag you for being a quiet observer, so sit pretty and observe.
Start by paying attention to the small things like the working language and where people take lunch. Afterward, you can look into the more complex aspects of working for the said company. Learn about their management hierarchies, dress policies, and general work expectations.
Don’t forget, you can ask questions when something seems a little unclear to you. But be observant until you start to understand how things work around the workplace.
6. Talk to Your Family Members and Friends:
It’s normal to be anxious about a new job, but sometimes this anxiety can be crippling. If you’re having trouble sleeping because of a new job, then, maybe it’s time to reach out. Talk to your friends and family to get some encouragement.
Talk to someone who has also recently landed a job and ask them how they managed to pull through. To boost your confidence, you can also ask your friends to tell you good things about you. You’d be surprised at how a few kind words from friends and family can transform your perspective and help you excel in your new job.
7. Prepare for the Job Adequately:
We get it; you’re nervous about your new job, but that doesn’t mean you should throw preparation out the window. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail at your new job. As such, you need to have everything ready and good to go the night before your first day at your new job.
Map out how you want the next day to go so that nothing catches you off-guard. Do a trial run or a mock workday to help you prepare for anything unexpected. Prepare all your work documents, software, and anything else you need for a successful day at work.
Most companies these days verify their new hires’ documents with special software. The software allows you to choose who you want to review your documents.
8. Change Your Line of Thought:
It’s abnormal to think about the worst-case scenario when starting a new job. For instance, you’ll think that not finishing the report by the end of the day means you’re fired. Most of these thoughts are wild exaggerations of how events will pan out.
Instead, challenge these thoughts and try to think about the best-case scenario. If you don’t finish the report, your workmate can give you a hand. Plus, since they have more experience, they’ll fine-tune the report for ultimate perfection.
Change your line of thought to focus on the positive instead of worst-case scenarios. Not only does it change your perspective, but it also lets your brain focus on other things.
9. Learn to See the Positivity:
Approximately 40 million adults in the US suffer from chronic anxiety, which is nothing to smile about. Anxiety sucks, but you should rewire your brain to see the positivity in anxiety. Anxiety helps keep you on your toes so you can ace your first day on the job.
Learn to see the positive side of anxiety, and it’ll help you handle anxiety a lot better. Think about how anxiety protects you from ugly situations and gets you closer to that promotion. Embrace anxiety and succeed in your new job.
10. Talk to People:
A new job places you in a completely novel environment with people you’ve never met before. This is a scary thought, but remember, your coworkers are human beings like you. They won’t eat you up for starting a conversation with them.
Talking to your coworkers is the only way to make your initial weeks at work a lot more bearable. It’ll help ease your anxiety and make work more exciting. What’s more, you can learn volumes about your work from a simple 15-minute conversation with a fellow employee.
11. Find a Mentor to Show You the Way:
You’ll likely need a mentor that works in a similar position as you to help you learn the ropes. Identify someone in your department who seems like they run the show, or knows how things work around there. Welcome them to your weekend barbeque or for lunch.
Get straight to the point and tell them you want to learn more about how to work for the company. Tell them about your previous work and educational background. Ask them to help you thrive in your new job and to guide you through it.
Having a friend in the workplace is okay, but having both a friend and a mentor is like hitting the jackpot. Find a mentor to help you transition into your new job.
12. Understand Your Roles to the Letter:
Having a firm understanding of your new role will go a long way towards reducing your anxiety. It helps to know that you’re perfectly capable of handling all the responsibilities your supervisor assigns you. Understanding your work roles involves:
- Talking to the manager about your work roles
- Taking things slow and learning every day
- Preparing adequately and having an action plan
Doing the above will help you understand and prepare for your role effectively. Sometimes, you might need to review a few notes or polish up on some skills. Do whatever you can to accomplish all your work responsibilities.
Start a New Job the Right Way:
The information above is everything you need to start a new job on the right foot. Being a new hire doesn’t last forever. Gather enough strength and will to push through and things will feel like normal after that.
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