Devin Dornbrock Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Starting a new job, especially if it’s your first job, can be pretty nerve-wracking. I know firsthand how scary the first day at a new job can be. Unless someone referred you for the job, you probably feel like a new kid at school. Not only do you have to do your actual job, but you also have to figure out how you fit into the already-established social hierarchy. It’s enough to give anyone’s stomach a few butterflies. So, let’s talk about getting over new job anxiety.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
First and foremost. Ask for help! If you don’t know how to do something, the easiest way to figure it out is to ask for a little help. Even if it’s something you already know how to do, sometimes your workplace might have special protocols or more efficient methods that should be followed.
It can be hard to ask for help when you want to do a good job or when you feel like everyone expects you to know everything. I’m going to tell you right now, though: a good boss or even a good coworker won’t ever expect you to be perfect on your first day. Good colleagues would much rather walk you through the processes so you can learn than push you into a trial-by-fire situation.
Reminding yourself that you don’t have to figure everything out on your own can be a huge relief. It’s gone a long way toward getting over my anxiety about the new job.
In the worst-case scenario where something goes wrong, you also have someone else to fall back on. As a new hire, whoever trains you (or helps you) should take responsibility if something goes wrong.
Let yourself learn
If you’re going to ask for help, it feels obvious that you should also be willing to learn. No matter how qualified you are for a job, there is no way to know how to do everything from the get-go. Motivation to learn how to do the job, even if you think you know everything, will get you far.
Learning from your colleagues can also help you get to know them. Unless they’re incredibly busy, most people will be happy to help you. If only you can help take on some of the work more quickly. Learning from them can also help make you and them more comfortable around each other.
Remind yourself that you’re new and it’s human nature to make mistakes
Some research shows that humans make an average of 500 errors every day, which sounds like an insane amount! However, it makes a little more sense when you think about it. All the little mistakes we make then correct without even thinking. Typing a “y” instead of a “u” or turning on cold water when you meant to turn on hot.
It’s human nature to make mistakes; most of them are easily fixed. When worrying about a new job and all of the potential mistakes you make, try to remind yourself that it’ll be okay. If a mistake gets made, a mistake gets made. Do what you can to fix it and learn from it.
Getting over new job anxiety is much easier when you can accept the possibility of making a mistake and letting it go. Stressing out before anything has happened will only make you more likely to err.
If it helps, you can also remind yourself that it’s pretty unlikely you’ll have much ability to cause major issues anyway. As a new hire, any mistakes you make aren’t likely to hurt anyone or have a huge impact.
Don’t forget…
You were hired for a reason. You can do this. It may be scary at first, but you’ll find your rhythm eventually. Giving yourself the grace to get through the learning period and asking questions can be tough. Remind yourself that nobody’s perfect and that making a misstep or two is perfectly normal. If you can do that, getting over new job anxiety will be a breeze.
Even if you can remind yourself of everything, though, I know it can still be hard to let go of all the stress and anxieties. Try to give yourself some time, if nothing else: time to learn the best ways to handle your new responsibilities, time to get to know who you can lean on for support, and time to get used to the job.
If, after all of that, it’s still too hard to adapt to your new job, you can always look for something new. The perfect job may not be easily found, but it is out there for you. If you need some help finding it, we also have some tips on finding a new job.
