How It Feels To Start A New Job

 At any stage in your career, starting a new job can be an unsettling – and even emotional – experience. There will be a million thoughts racing through your head from the moment you accept an offer until months after you actually start. Often, it is this mix of fear and excitement (or the idea that changing jobs would be too much ‘hassle’) is what prevents you from taking the leap in the first place. On the one hand, there is the truly exciting side to starting a new job. It’s almost like being in a new relationship and you’re about to experience a new honeymoon period. The new surroundings; the new faces; the new work. It’s all very interesting and fresh. You won’t have to worry about any of the old niggles that you couldn’t wait to shed. But, on the flip side of all that positivity, there is also the fear of the unknown. Maybe the grass isn’t greener and you’ll regret ever handing in your notice. Moving on in your career can also induce feelings of guilt for the colleagues and workload you have left behind. Self-doubt and questioning often creep in. What if I’ve made a mistake? What happens if my colleagues don’t like me? What happens if I don’t like my colleagues? Will the workload be better? Will I be bored? These thoughts are entirely natural. Everyone takes time to settle in to a new position. Remember: There was a reason why you chose to leave your previous post. Maybe there was no career progression, or maybe the company culture was unpleasant or maybe your workload was leaving you frustrated. So, whilst taking the big step of changing jobs is, of course, a big deal, all the fears and worries associated with it are entirely common. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been working for two years or two decades. No one is immune from insecurities. You shouldn’t let this, however, impact on your future career prospects. Every person who is in the process of changing jobs will be thinking and feeling the same things. (Unless, of course, you feel like you’ve just achieved an Escape from Alcatraz in getting out of your previous employment!) The transitional period between jobs is an important time, therefore, to remind yourself why you chose to make the leap and to rediscover your motivation and passion for your desired field. Although it can be difficult, you shouldn’t allow your emotions to dictate your career moves. A little bit of fear is healthy and can be fuel to do a good job. It also won’t harm you to find out what expectations and responsibilities will be placed on you in your new role. You could ask to pay a visit to the office to get your head around your new surroundings and put your mind at ease. Our recruiters do all they can to ensure that – not only is a candidate the right fit for a potential role – but that they settle in well. We always follow up to find out how a candidate is finding their new post. And we do all we can to match not just your skills set but your personality and attitude to a like-minded and supportive firm. If you would like to speak to one of recruiters, confidentially, about moving careers, they would love to offer you helpful advice. Click here to contact our recruitment teams.