The idea of getting a new job can be simultaneously scary and exciting. For one obvious reason, new jobs often come with better pay and opportunities. The fear of the unknown or human resistance to change is the scary part of it.
If you really desire an upward mobility in your career, you really should have nothing to be afraid of. What is there to be scared of? The new boss you’ve not met or the tasks you’ve not been assigned?
May be you don’t even understand why you feel nervous about applying for another job, then you need to read this to understand your fear and overcome it.
Here are five reasons why you may be scared of getting a new job.
1. You’re afraid of leaving your current employer
Some employees can be very loyal to a fault. The degree of their loyalty could prevent them from leaving their employer. Granted, loyalty to employer is very admirable but what about being loyal to one’s career too? When you take an opportunity that comes your way, it doesn’t mean you aren’t loyal to your boss, it’s just that you’ll have to leave at some point for your best interest and career growth.
2. Feeling worried you might hate the new job
Staying in a job because of the fear of unknown often stems from the belief that the devil you know is better than the one you don’t know. In this case, this is a proverb of discouragement. Don’t buy it. What if the devil you don’t know is actually an angel?
There’s no point staying in one place and nursing a perceive hatred for the job you’ve not taken. Rather than discouraging yourself, reach out to employees who work at other companies, and find out how they like their jobs.
3. You don’t want to be the new guy
Because you’re already settled in one job, you have colleagues you’re cool with and everything seems to work fine for you. Leaving that comfort zone to become a new face in another company might discourage you from chasing another job.
To get rid of this fear, you need to start meeting new people now. Get out of your comfort zone and seek out new experiences. The more you do this, the more comfortable you get in meeting people and more eager you get to go to new environment.
4. You feel you won’t hack it
The fear of being exposed or being labelled a fraud could also prompt you to remain in your comfort zone because you seriously think you won’t be as successful in another work environment as you are in your current job.
Nah! This is an extreme fear you need to get rid of. It’s called self-doubt.
You can overcome it. Just make sure you develop yourself, be sure of the skills required of you before you apply for a job. Do you have those skills? If you don’t, can you learn them in no time? What skills do you have currently that can be transferred to the new job? If you have these, you have nothing to fear.
5. You’re scared you won’t get a job
See, fear is a monster and it comes with its own demons. One of the demons might be telling you not to leave a job no matter how miserable it makes you. Please don’t listen to it. Believe in yourself. Prepare yourself till the day your chance come. Surely, a day will come you’ll have to say good bye to your current colleagues.