Fear of getting a job/job interview
This is terrible, I know.
But I have a crippling fear of doing a job interview and being new to a job. My anxiety has worsened over the years, and now among many other fears, I am scared of doing a job interview. I am also highly afraid of making too many mistakes at a potential job. From experience, I know that people tend to lose faith in me easily, and I really don't need this happening at a job I can possibly get.
I am only a year into being a legal adult (next month-November- starts my second), but I feel so behind on starting my life and independence. That's because I am in a way. I am very, very isolated. I don't have friends, extended family (not near me, or any that I know well), no mentors, and my parents are extremely discouraging. They put me down all the time, and they've been like this since forever. They don't help, just scream, complain, and gossip about how "lazy" or "demonic" I am. My older brother sometimes encourages me, but he's very into himself and sometimes comes across as condescending. He too wasn't doing too well because of our parents.
Anyway, I'm just desperate for encouragement or advice on how to deal with this"job fear". I've had a piece of each (encouragement and advice) from a couple of 7Cup' friends, and I really am thankful for it, and them. But I can't help but feel immensely lost. I need to start helping myself quickly, but I just don't know how.
@BlueDusk99 I get you. I underwent a somewhat similar experience where I was shifting from working to multiple PT jobs and mostly working from home to working FT and having to go to an office every day. I actually formally started here at 7Cups to deal with this anxiety.
The issue for me was change. The shift was making me super anxious. But I found that once I figured out a lot of things and got used to the routine, it really helped.
That's not to say there I wasn't discouraged or that it was easy. I had something like a dozen interviews with a bunch that went multiple rounds and only got this one offer. There were a ton of rejections and I wasn't sure about this job. It's probably not something I could or would want to do forever, but I'm grateful for the money and that the people are nice.
So, don't feel alone or that this is somehow silly or bad. It sounds like you haven't had the best support network which probably really lends to how you feel now. Good luck.
@ReadBooksDrinkTea
I appreciate the support, very much. I'm trying to support myself, and change for the better as well. Change is sometimes difficult for me, too.
@BlueDusk99
Some lovely advice from other members here <3 I have also gone through this job anxiety after a period of unemployment. It is so scary but we have your back here. You can talk to us, let us know how it goes and we will be your cheerleaders! I found that if I framed it in the following way it helped me get out the door.
I could not go to work and feel safe for a while but then I would feel low and anxious about not working. Being out of work would slowly chip away even more at my self esteem.
Or, I could try and go to work. Go through all the scary panic and if I came out on the other side I would feel stronger, confident and know that I could do anything. For me the low self esteem vs anxiety/panic really helped me push through.
<3
@fizzyPika
Thank you so much! This way of thinking should help me, and I will absolutely try and maintain this thought.
@BlueDusk99
I know how you feel. I hate job interviews more than anything, I get physically sick, then if I somehow get the job, I make up an excuse not to take it because the thought of failing to be able to do the job is too horrible. I've decided to volunteer at an animal shelter for the moment, I can't make any money but it's way less pressure and it's helping to build up my confidence. I'm almost 45 by the way. You're so young and it's great that you're talking about this now. I have to keep in mind that things usually aren't as difficult as they seem, and, "if she/he can do it I can". :)
@Linda1213
What you've shared with me was so kind of you. Thank you, so much. Volunteering is a good first step. I thought of doing that, also. It's just, I really need to start supporting myself soon. I hope the both of us can overcome this fear, and hold confidence to ourselves the way we always should.
