How to stop worrying about your career and take control

John Lees

FOGIW – the fear of getting it wrong – is a growing social anxiety now affecting our careers and work lives.

While it is only natural to worry about whether we’re making the right decisions in our career, FOGIW is increasingly road blocking our choices and crushing our confidence.

There are ten signs of career FOGIW. Here we look at solutions on how you can take control of each fear and increase your confidence.

1. You’ve been offered a job but don’t believe you’re really up to it.

Solution: If the organisation likes you enough to offer you the job, you’ve probably got what it takes. Instead of relying on your hunches, dig deeper to find out what you need to learn quickly and what you need to deliver in the first 90 days, then you’ll know where you really stand.

2. Believing you’re a fake and you’ll be discovered.

Solution: Many people – including those at the top of the career ladder – have experienced ‘imposter syndrome’ at some stage, secretly thinking they got where they are by luck. Recognise where this is holding you back and find support from a mentor, or positive friends who can remind you of what you have genuinely achieved and also point you towards new challenges.

3. You worry that if you change careers you won’t like it.

Solution: This kind of thinking shows you’re stuck in an ‘imagined career’ thinking rather than actively exploring new directions. If you’re really interested in a new career, talk to people in that field about the work they do; discover the pros and cons and what you will be doing most of the time. Don’t accept a new role without being clear about how much it will keep you motivated.

4. You’ve been with an employer for five years and fear moving anywhere else.

Solution: You may be perfectly content in the job, but look hard at the last 12 months – how much have you really learned and been challenged? If you’re feeling stuck in a rut and haven’t progressed or enjoyed new experiences it’s time to take on new responsibilities, find a secondment, negotiate some training, or think about moving on to refresh your CV.

5. You don’t want to ask for a pay rise or promotion in case it bounces badly.

Solution: Firm negotiation skills are often what your employer expects you to take to the marketplace, so why not use them for yourself? Talk about what you can do for the organisation, rather than just about what you need, and have a plan B ready if you get a ‘no’ the first time around, such as an early review date.

6. Feeling your CV is OK, but worrying it will all go wrong at interview.

Solution: People think they are prepared for interviews but unless you really visualise how you will be in the room and plan for specific questions, your interview will be improvised rather than planned. Look hard at the top six items on an employer’s shopping list and prepare matching evidence from your experience. Rehearse short, punchy narratives to talk about your skills to feel more prepared and you will also boost your confidence.

7. Knowing you need to network but worry that you’ll sound desperate.

Solution: If you get in front of high-profile people before you’ve got used to talking about yourself you may come across as uncertain and unconfident. First practise networking conversations with people who are easy to approach. Ask more questions than you answer. Don’t feel you need to sing your own praises – just talk about what you find exciting and interesting. Some of the best networkers I know are also great listeners.

8. Needing to have a shop window on social media, but worry that yours will look lame.

Solution: If you don’t have a social media profile when job hunting people assume you don’t know how to do it, or don’t care. A LinkedIn page provides an easy-access CV to anyone interested in talking to you. Make sure the first 100 words or so describe what you do and what you’re best at. Avoid distracting or misleading information and if you’re between jobs, talk about your role in work and experience.

9. Wanting to be promoted, but worry about the extra responsibility.

Solution: Again, this should be based on objective facts rather than your guesswork. Look at what senior people in your organisation actually do – how will that overall balance suit you? If you’re more interested in solving problems than dealing with people, see if there is a skills-based, technical route to advancement rather than becoming a general manager. It’s also sometimes possible to negotiate the exact type of promotion you want based on your skills.

10. Itching to do your own thing, but worry it will bankrupt you.

Solution: Being your own boss can provide more freedom and flexibility, but it can also mean working in isolation, longer hours and generating your own sales. Think through how you would cope with creating a business as well as running it. But look, too, at the rewards including flexibility and getting a sound financial return on the time you put into projects.

John Lees is a careers coach and author of How to Get a Job You Love.