3 Strategies to Free Yourself from Fear in the Job Search
Elyse Pipitone LCSW
Empathic career coach with social work background.?? Helping individuals increase their confidence and motivation to find fulfilling work.?? Job search support, career exploration, resumes, LinkedIn profiles & more.
3 Strategies to Free Yourself from Fear in the Job Search
By Elyse Pipitone
Fear can be a great motivator. Or it can hold you back. In the job search, where there are so many unknowns, you may ask yourself questions like: “If I don’t accept this job offer, what if I can’t find anything else?” Or, “What if this career change turns out to be a big mistake?” It can be natural to worry about worst-case scenarios or jump to conclusions, but it’s not helpful. And it can lead to “analysis paralysis” – feeling stuck because you’re so busy thinking about what could happen that you’re unable to take any steps.
While this article won’t help you predict your professional future, it can help you improve your mindset so you can move forward with your career goals.
?1. Are you a Worst-Case Scenario Thinker? Make a List
On a piece of paper, draw a horizontal line. Label the far-left part of the line “Worst Case Scenario.” Label the center ?section “Mostly Likely Scenario.” And label the far-right section “Best Case Scenario.”
As you think about your fearful situation – for example, let’s say you are afraid to ask your manager for a raise – make a list above each of those headings. Write down what you’re most worried about (such as getting fired) and add that on the far left. Think about the best possible outcome or reason and add that to the far right. Finally, think about what’s most likely to happen and write that in the middle.
Now take a look at the length of each of those lists. Your “Best Case” and “Worst Case” lists will be much shorter than?the “Most Likely” list. If you draw a line connecting all three lists, this creates a bell curve. In science, a bell curve’s ?highest point indicates the highest level of probability. Next time you experience extreme worry and fear (also called ?“catastrophic thinking”), use this exercise to identify the most likely and probable scenarios, and you should feel your level of fear decrease.
2. Don’t believe everything you think.
Fear and anxiety may lead you to seek control of a situation you can’t control. (Check out the Circle of Influence article from our June newsletter.) You may micromanage yourself or others, overwork, or strive for perfection as a way to cope with workplace or job search issues. While you often can’t control a situation, you can control the way you react to it emotionally. Remind yourself of other times you overcame your fear, as well as situations where the anticipation was much worse than the actual outcome.
Remember, your thoughts are not facts. At the same time, your feelings and emotions are important – a person’s “gut” feeling is often a good indicator of a harmful or negative situation. But it’s equally important to take a step back and examine if those thoughts and worries have any basis in reality.
Fear can cause your brain to create Negative Automatic Thoughts, but you can challenge them and rephrase them into more positive ones. Here are a few examples:
领英推荐
3. Find support.
If you find that your fear and anxious thoughts are impacting your health and daily functioning (insomnia, changes in appetite, inability to concentrate), it may be time to contact a mental health professional. Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist website or your/your spouse’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can be good places to start.
Also, see these helpful resources below:
Coping With Anticipatory Anxiety -VeryWellMind
What to Do When Your Mind (Always) Dwells on the Worst-Case Scenario - Harvard Business Review
Giving Up the “Worst Case Scenario” Mindset for Good - Psychology Today
What Everyone Needs to Know About Fear - Psychology Today
Book: "Help Wanted: An A to Z Guide to Cope with the Ups and Downs of the Job Search," by Karen Litzinger
Each month, the "Your Career > Your Future"?newsletter provides information on the latest hiring trends and best practices to help you find your next job or grow in your career. You can access all editions of the newsletter?here.?Don't miss our "Elevate Your Career with an Expert" subscriber raffle. Every quarter, one active subscriber will win a complimentary career-related service from one of our Career Experts.?Subscribe by clicking?here.??
Do you have a question for me or other members of the Career Experts Group? Click?here?to get your questions answered and possibly have it featured in a future Ask the Experts column!
Academic and Career Advisor, Career Counselor, Artist, Educator, Creative Problem Solver, People Helper, Event Planner
1 年So helpful as always. A quick analogy is thinking about exercising versus exercising! It’s something we (or I) put off but when I do it, I feel so much better no matter how well it’s done.