Challenging your beliefs can combat anxiety when job hunting

Anxiety can be an obstacle for people looking for a job, especially those with Social Anxiety. Meeting new people, talking about yourself, and being judged on appearance and demeanor can trigger extreme anxiety. Whether you are diagnosed with Social Anxiety or are simply nervous about the job search process, try considering the following questions:

-What event is making you nervous?

-What meaning are you attaching to this event?

-What are the consequences of your beliefs?

-Can you challenge these unhelpful beliefs?

Sometimes people engage in destructive self-talk patterns. For instance, falsely telling themselves nobody would want to speak to or help them in networking, so they don’t call anyone. On interviews, they disqualify the positive. If their interviewer is not smiling, they assume they are performing poorly, ignoring the possibility their interviewer might have a more formal interview style. If this describes you, try asking yourself: is there any credible evidence backing up your self-talk? You might be surprised that there is very little.

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Published by Sheryl Odentz on LinkedIn on February 18, 2021. Sheryl Odentz is the founder of Progress in Work LLC, an award-winning career management firm that provides lawyers and other professionals within the legal industry the following services: business development training/coaching, executive/leadership coaching and outplacement/career transition counseling. For more information, contact Sheryl at 212-532-6670 or sodentz@progressinwork.com.