So you finally landed a new job. You made it through the interview process and they liked you. But now your first day on the job is coming soon and you are freaking out. Maybe you have already started your new job and you find that you are a nervous wreck. You want to keep this job but you fear your anxiety is going to jeopardize your ability to perform. Believe me I have been there. Getting a new job ranks up there as one of the more anxiety producing events in one’s life. And nowadays we may be faced with the probability that we will have multiple new jobs in our future due to a weak economy.

So how do we cope with new job anxiety?

Know that you are not alone.

It may seem like you are the only one who is suffering from anxiety over your new job. But you are not the only one. Many of our members here have asked questions about how to cope with their job anxiety. Maybe some of the answers given can help you.

• Every time I start a new job, I have the worst anxiety. I feel sick and want to cry. Why?

• I seem to get high anxiety when starting a stressful job, why does this happen?

• I am having a major anxiety problem about my new job. 

• Having trouble starting a new job. Please help.

Remember your strengths.

If you got this far in the hiring process then there is a reason. Your employer must see something of great value in your resume and in how you presented yourself during your interview. Read over your resume and take pride in your accomplishments. Nobody can take those successes away from you. On your new job you can build upon those strengths and capabilities.

Don’t place pressure on yourself to be perfect on day one.

One of the fears I had when starting a new job is that I had to know everything in one day. Most employers are not going to expect perfection as you learn your job. It will take time. Observe and ask questions if you are unsure. Don’t be so afraid of making a mistake that you don’t initiate performing some duties on your own. Everyone starts off as a newbie. Even people who have been at their job for years and years have to learn new skills to keep up. It is all a process. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t know everything on the first day or even the first weeks.

Take your time to assess the social climate of your work place.

You are entering an already established social group. You want to gently enter the group by observing and asking questions. Try not to do all the talking but ask others about themselves. People generally like to talk about themselves. Showing an interest in your co-workers goes over much better than either being too quiet or forcing yourself into the group. Try to observe the different personalities to see where you might fit in the best.

Find a mentor.

There will likely be someone in your work group who will be able to show you around and teach you how to perform your duties. You may need to write down your questions if that helps you to remember everything. You may want to ask questions about anything which has the potential to cause you anxiety. You may want to ask things like, “Who do I report to if I need help?”or “What is the protocol for correcting mistakes?”