Overcoming Fears that Hold Back Your Job Search
When you are hesitating about sending your applications for jobs, it can help to identify the fear you’re feeling. Our latest blog could help you to gain back your confidence!
Have you found yourself scanning job ads, editing your CV, or thinking about whom to contact from your professional network about a potential new role lately? If something seems to be holding you back from that, you might find that you just can’t bring yourself to click to send that email or click ‘Apply.’
If you find yourself in this situation, getting to the root of the fears that are holding you back will help you start making progress. Whether you are in the middle stages of your career, new to an industry or returning to work after a long break, it’s common to feel trepidatious about applying for a new job.
No matter your stage of career, it is also possible to conquer your fears about a job search. We’ve listed the most common worries below and how you can overcome each one.
Change is Scary
Scientific research has highlighted how a sense of unpredictability can greatly increase one’s discomfort. A job search is a process with an uncertain outcome, so it is natural to feel like putting it off at times.
When change seems scary, it might be easier to stick with what you know – your current boss, team, commute, workplace culture – even if those factors might be making you unhappy overall.
If fear of change is hindering your job search efforts, thinking about what makes you feel dissatisfied right now can fuel your motivation to find a new job. Perhaps you’re bored from working in the same position or company for several years, are looking for more learning and development opportunities, or need a change of location. Keep these issues front of mind to stay inspired.
You Don’t Meet Every Job Requirement
Many professionals, at one point in their career, will feel they might not have what it takes to land the job they want. An extensive list of requirements in a job ad can easily make you feel intimidated when you don’t tick all the boxes.
In practice, most Hiring Managers understand how rare it is to find a candidate who meets every requirement. Reading job descriptions carefully can help you work out which requirements are absolutely essential and which ones are simply desirable. Many job ads also highlight the difference.
In your application, highlight the work experience and qualifications that are most relevant to the role. Clearly outline your strengths and explain why your unique combination of skills and experience could make you a good fit for the job.
Job Interviews Make You Nervous
One of the most common fears about the job search process is attending job interviews, especially if you are shy. Preparing yourself beforehand for an interview is the best way to ensure it goes smoothly.
Here are some strategies to deal with interview nerves:
- Commit to thinking only positive thoughts about yourself and your professional abilities. Avoid negative self-talk.
- Practice positive visualisation. Picture yourself in the interview being relaxed and confident.
- Get a good night’s rest the night before the interview.
- Avoid thinking about the negative outcomes of the job interview. If it doesn’t go as well as planned, think about how you can approach it differently next time.
You’re New to the Industry or Country
Have you recently embarked on a career change or moved country? The decision to change industry, specialisation or place of residence is one of life’s major excitements. But it can make a job search feel daunting too.
Don’t allow a lack of direct experience to prevent you from applying for a new job – everyone needs to start from somewhere. When applying for jobs, highlight any training you’ve undertaken to orient towards a new career and identify the transferable skills you have from other industries.
Perhaps you worked in software sales and have pivoted to development, which gives you an intimate understanding of consumer needs. Or you have a STEM background and want to put your statistics skills to use in a data scientist role. Coming from a different industry can give you a unique combination of skillsets and experience compared to other candidates – make this one of your selling points.
If you’re moving from the UK to Australia or vice versa to find work, give yourself enough time to search for a role before you arrive so you can hit the ground running.
Fear of Choosing the Wrong Job
Another common reason people are scared of applying for work is making the wrong decision when accepting a job offer. The good news is that you have more control over the outcome than you think. Doing your homework before you accept a job offer will elevate the probability of finding a job that is suited to your skills and personality.
To ensure your job search has the best outcome, be clear about what you want from your next role before you begin applying. Be mindful of what you’re willing to negotiate and what aspects of a job might be dealbreakers. Understanding the salaries on offer and researching potential employers will give you a sturdier base to work from.
Connecting with a Tech recruitment agency can give you better insight into negotiating a salary in your field, or what the culture of a particular company is like when you’re applying for a role – so be sure to ask recruiters questions whenever they arise.
Summary
The only way to fail your job search is to not search at all. If you are scared of applying for work, identifying the underlying causes of your worry can help you remove the barriers holding you back.
Remember, searching and applying for jobs is a process. By treating it as a learning experience, you will be better equipped to address any mistakes and fine-tune your efforts to get the result you want.
At Hawksworth, we’re a technology recruitment agency that lives and breathes the future. We stay up to date with the latest Tech and hiring trends to match ITech professionals to the best jobs in the industry. Whether you’re on the hunt for software engineering, analytics, procurement or cyber security jobs or more, our teams in Brisbane, Sydney and London have you covered. Contact us to find out more.