Afraid of the new job? 7 positive tips against negative feelings

Fear of novelty is closely linked to fear of personal failure.

"I can't do this.", "What if I fail?", "I don't think I'm adequately prepared for the new tasks."

Phrases like these are readily used as a shield behind which those affected hides. They state that they are not up to the demands and thereby try to justify their fear.

If this behavior sounds familiar, you should read the next words very carefully: Work on your self-confidence. Of course, you are up to the new tasks and of course, you will not fail! If you have a negative attitude right from the start and virtually predict your own failure, you will indeed have a hard time being convincing in your new job. Outwit your fears by pushing yourself and making it clear that you are up to all challenges. Always remember the words of Henry Ford:

"There are more people who surrender than those who fail."

Change of job, relocation, separation - there are always situations in our lives in which we consciously decide on something new and also unknown. If you are afraid of the new job, you would do well to think about how often you have been in such a situation and what happened in the end. You will quickly realize that you have failed in very few cases, but have mostly emerged as a winner.

What exactly are you afraid of when you think about the new job? Of the boss? The colleagues? The tasks? The commute? By looking our fears in the eye, we get to know them much better and learn how to deal with them.

Let's say your biggest fear is not getting along with your new colleagues. Then there is already reason to celebrate because you have found a point where you can start and work with. By tuning in to what we are afraid of, we prepare our body and mind for the new situation, the impulse to flee is minimized.

In our example case, preparation might look like this:

• Develop a small mini-pitch with which you introduce yourself to the new colleague
• Think of innocuous small-talk topics to bridge pauses in speech
• Think of questions to ask your colleagues to express your interest
• Find out when and to what extent onboarding is customary at the new company
• Stand in front of the mirror and practice your friendliest and most open smile

Solution approaches are the name of the game. These range from a language crash course to intensive Internet research to simple exercises that boost your confidence. It often also helps to get help from others in this situation.

This brings us directly to the next tip. You know how it is: If something is bothering you and you keep swallowing it, sooner or later, it will eat you up from the inside. This also applies if you are afraid of a new job or another challenge.

Try it out! Simply speaking out about what's bothering you can work wonders. To do this, either turn to a trusted person or seek contact with like-minded people with similar problems.

Tip: Do you have great difficulty confiding in others about your fears? Then try writing a letter in which you get everything off your chest. Whether someone reads your lines later or not is irrelevant. The important thing is that you admit your fear and express it in some way.

Failures, setbacks, and defeats are generally perceived as something extremely negative. No wonder, then, that we are afraid of potentially threatening situations. How do you do better? By changing your perspective and recognizing that a failed attempt is always closely coupled with the learning effect. It's not for nothing that the saying goes: You learn from your mistakes.

Admittedly, it doesn't really sound encouraging, but: Failure is normal and part of the game. Every person who strives for something higher will sooner or later suffer a defeat - from which they can emerge stronger. Of course, a new job means uncertainty and the risk of not meeting the requirements. But what can happen in the worst case? People grow with their tasks and should always be prepared to accept failure. This applies just as much to a new job as it does to many other situations in our everyday lives.

It is absolutely normal to be afraid of new and unknown situations. However, the feeling should never paralyze you and possibly cause a good opportunity to slip through your fingers. It is important that you know your strengths and stops doubting yourself. This strengthens your self-confidence and pushes fears and doubts aside.