Start a new job – How to handle stress and anxiety?

Table of communication:

1. Prepare yourself
2. Don’t panic
3. Observe your surroundings
4. Ask questions
5. Be confident and authentic 

You have just spent several weeks sending out resumes and cover letters. You have successfully conducted your interview and found a new job. Congratulations!

After the usually stressful time of looking for a job, sometimes a feeling of uncertainty follows before the first day to start a new job. You may ask yourself: Will I like my new job? Will I get along well with my new colleagues and bosses? Do I have the right skills for the new job?

This feeling is normal because the new job means the unknown and can trigger fears. However, this feeling is often not permanent.

We have 5 tips for you on how to handle stress and anxiety and quickly settle when you will start a new job.

1. Prepare yourself

• Plan your way to work the day before. Being late would certainly be embarrassing and can cause a lot of stress.
• Get your clothes ready the night before as well. Choose something comfortable but up to the standard of the company. Do you have to wear a trouser suit or a suit? Or can you turn up in jeans and trainers? If you are not clear about the rules, select something that fits everywhere, e.g. black trousers and a shirt.
• If you are supposed to bring certain documents, don’t forget them and have them visible for the next morning.
• Try to sleep well and sufficiently the night before to cope with this new, exciting day.

2. Don’t panic

To start a new job in a new company can be unsettling.
But don’t panic, it’s perfectly normal to be excited. Take a deep breath!

Be friendly, authentic, and approach your new colleagues.
They will know that you are new and will take the necessary time to support you.

3. Observe your surroundings

Every company has its own working atmosphere and etiquette.
What do these look like in your new company?

• Are employees on a first-name basis or a family-name basis?
• Do they take regular breaks or do they tend to sit at their desks?
• Do colleagues go out to eat together during their lunch break?

Observe what different teams there are and how they work together. If you work with someone in the same position as you or, if you are a substitute, spend time with that person. List the tasks you need to do.

Do not hesitate to ask for a tour of the office and the different departments of the company. Usually, they will offer it to you directly, but if not, don’t be afraid to ask for it.

4. Ask questions

Despite your observations, there will certainly be things you do not understand. Remember that you may know little about the new company and/or the new job. You have to learn (almost) everything and, normally, you are not immediately ready for work in the first few weeks.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. In fact, it is important that you do so. It shows that you are interested in the company and your colleagues.
If the company does not provide you with enough information, try to find a so-called office buddy who can look after you in the first few days.

5. Be confident and authentic 

You are a person with a personality, with preferences and passions. You have your values that add value to the company.
Before you could sign the employment contract, you went through several recruitment phases. The recruiters analysed your CV and asked you questions to learn more about your qualities and knowledge. The reason you have got this far is that you have convinced your superiors, and they think that your profile matches what they were looking for.

In the first few weeks, you are in a learning phase. But you were hired for a reason and you will make it!

“Better an end with horror than a horror without an end”.

Despite all the advice, do you still feel stressed? Then maybe the job is not right for you.
A client contacted us in August 2021, even though she had just started a new job in July, a month before. She didn’t know what to do because she didn’t like the new job.

“I lost my job at the end of 2020 because of the corona crisis. After several months of unemployment and a very complicated job market, I accepted the first job I was offered in an IT company. I had never worked in this industry before, but I had to find a job from a financial point of view.

I didn’t fit in at all… I wondered what I was doing there, why they had chosen me, and whether I had the skills and desire to stay in that company. I forced myself to like the job, but there was no onboarding, no help, and the colleagues had a huge age difference from me…

I decided to look for another job. Sofia from LHC International supported me and helped me to find my new job where I am still today.

What a change! I immediately felt good and supported. I felt that I had a place. Apart from a few nerves on the first day, I wasn’t too stressed by this new job. Unlike the other company…”.

If you are also in this situation or if you have any questions about your new position, do not hesitate to contact one of our consultants. We are here to guide you in your professional career and your job search.

Are you wondering if you should start a new job? Try our short Quiz “Should I quit my job?”, it can give you the first clue.