Getting a Job

JWH

JWH

Well-known member
Well, I'm 21 and have never had a proper job. I've done small amounts of photographic/graphic design freelancing, but come the end of this year when I finish my degree, I have to start looking.

So what sort of jobs do I start looking for? Eventually I will have to get something relevant to my career choice, but for the meantime what is the best job environment for someone with social phobia?

My biggest fear is not getting procedure right. I am totally hopeless when it comes to following instructions and I get confused very easily which leaves me muddled when coupled with this anxiety. I am alright once I get settled in but I am always fearing those first few weeks where I am utterly hopeless.

Another issue I have is motivation. I am slow to get up in the morning, slow to do work and slow to comprehend. To top it all off I am a perfectionist. So I don't know how that will work.

So, should I be taking meds or not? Is there any way to get around the fear?
 
moodylady

moodylady

Member
Hello JWH,

I feel the same way that you described.....Trying to feel comfortqble in a job for the first few weeks is very very difficult...I can relate totally...I guess my best advice to you would be to face fear dead on and suffer through the first few weeks....cant go under it, cant go around it, cant go over it....you my as well go through it and get it over with......

Search the classified and apply for everything and anything that interests you...regardless if its in your field or not.....

I wish you the best of luck...dont know if I was any help.

As for newborn....get a life man.....poeple dont appreciate moronic advice like that.....get a life, and maybe you will have a little bit of empathy for people in our situation....if not, shut the hell up!!!
 
cody2468

cody2468

Well-known member
I would apply for any job that you are interested in. If you think your social phobia is holding you back and that you aren't capable of getting a job then you wont. If I had a choice of working or being on social security then I would pick working anyday.

The best thing to do is tackle your SA head on, you need to face your fears. Even normal people get nervous about attending job interviews and starting new jobs. In most jobs there is a settling period of 3 months, you get put on a trail for 3 months so that your boss can see if you are any good at your job and it is also for you to decide whether you like that job or not. It's nothing to worry about as it takes several weeks just to get used to the new environment and the work routines on a daily basis. You need to be fair to yourself and give yourself a proper go.

As for having trouble getting out of bed, how important is it to you to have a job, it sounds like getting a job would be a inconvience, if you have trouble getting out of bed why not look for an afternoon/evening job. There are lots around. I am extremely shy and introverted with SA and I've never had a problem finding a job.
 
Anonymous

Anonymous

Well-known member
Heya JWH:

I can totally relate to worrying constantly about procedure, and dreading the "helpless" unsettled period at the start of a new job. I worry about those things too (I've been at my current job almost 6 months and I STILL worry about getting our chaotic procedures right!!).

Meds may be helpful to you-- talk to a doctor/counselor/psychiatrist about it. If you go the med route, you may want to be on them for a week or two before starting a job, so you can get used to how the med affects your everyday functioning. Tranquilizers can be very helpful too. They reduce the constant "background noise" in the mind and can greatly reduce the physical symptoms/feelings of anxiety. But there's a "sweet spot" to hit, as it's not helpful to be sleepy or "tranqed out" at work :p :D

Good luck!!
 
L

LilMissTragic

Well-known member
Nope, not kidding...he actually sat there for over 10 minutes trying to come up with jobs for me...lol...then he said that, I fell about laughing and he said thats all he could really suggest for a socialphobe.
 
Yossarian

Yossarian

Well-known member
KIDDING - KIDS - BABY GOATS ! :oops:

Waaah? Really? Wow! Just think he got paid for that!
I want to be a spy now ! Have you seen the series on BBC2
You get to reinvent yourself AND the more anonymous and unseen you are the better!
 
L

LilMissTragic

Well-known member
oops...sorry, my brain power left me working out how to do that red baner thingy...lol

AWWWWWWW NOOOOOOO, i missed that, i really wanted to see that program...whens it on again???
we'd be good at that considering we been hiding from most of the world anyways...lol
 
Yossarian

Yossarian

Well-known member
6:45 pm weekdays
I haven't watched anything at that time for years!
Usually it's never ending repeats of Fresh Prince, which was good 45 years ago!!
 
JWH

JWH

Well-known member
Actually, I was thinking a pet shop or grooming parlour would be a good place to start. Who knows, maybe hairdressing??

And my name actually Jane. Couldn't be bothered creating a decent account name. Oh well stuck with it.
 
Flax

Flax

Active member
I did have a job for two years but left because I was getting paid horrible wages. The only reason I stayed in the job for so long is because I liked the people I worked with. When I first started working there the amount of money I got was totally understandable because I had become friends with everyone and I always had someone to go to for help. But the last half year before I quit they had me working my entire shifts alone and basically everyone I became friends with either quit or were fired. I found myself in the situation of being the knowledgable person of the group of newcomers. Everyone was running to me to get problems fixed or to teach them. That would have been fine if I wasn't making a measly $7.54 an hour. I'd only see people for like ten minutes and they'd leave. I also worked 2nd shift which is depressing because by the end of the day your so dead tired you can't even do a fake smile when a customer jokes around. Now I'm thinking about getting an apprenticeship job because most end up paying well after the apprenticeship is over. But I'm finding myself freaking out like I did before my last jobs.
I've decided I'm going to go to a psychiatrist before I get another job in the hopes that I'll be put on medication and given therapy. I want to be able to clearly decide what job I want next and have the confidence to do it. Today I had an appointment with a psychiatrist and got to the street it was on I was 15 minutes late. It was in a very urban area during rushhour and I didn't know where to park or exactly what building it was, I freaked out and drove back home. I think I may have to choose a psychiatrist that isn't in such a nerve-wracking area.
 
I

introvert

Well-known member
I found work through a relative, which was helpful. I had tried calling a few agencies and applying online but got rejected over the phone. Unfortunately I HATE my current job, it's a call center job, and sometimes like today, you get calls one after the other - and it makes me REALLY mad, when i just want to work at my own pace, doing something I like and im stuck in this damn job. I try and think that im getting phone practise while working, but this is way over, way too much to handle. I've been considering quitting, but don't want to have to find another job. Even worse I don't know what I really like doing. Something with cars I guess lol, but I have 0 experience in that field.
 
Anonymous

Anonymous

Well-known member
hi JWH!

Yes it's an IT call center. Positives are that once you settle in (after the first 2-3 weeks), things get a certain rythm and basically you can get along very nicely in this job with SP. You do get a lot of annoying people asking the same old questions and saying the same old solution over and over. I guess thats why I don't like it. I like the IT field, but need something with more creativity like web design. I would like to design cars but thats a bit far out atm lol. So this would be an ok SP job I guess, but you might not enjoy the actual work itself.

About the job you found, I suggest you do apply and "market" yourself as best you can. Try and highlight benefits you can provide to the business, and when negotiating always market what you can bring to the business i.e. you enjoy getting perfect results, and never settle for less, try and show the positive side and the results of your freelancing work too! Even if you aren't the best qualified person, if noone more qualified applies then you have the job! My suggestion is get some practise interview questions off the net, read through those, until you feel ok, then just go for the interview, and keep on going to other interviews - but please DON'T be surprised if you get offered the job.
 
Anonymous

Anonymous

Well-known member
I think one thing you find about the workplace is there are allot of wierd and strange people and you wont feel like weirdest one because your shy, trust me. Everyone needs money i guess so you get all soughts at the workplace and everyone ussually tries really hard to get along.

Also workplaces are fairly tolerant, eveyone is ussually way more nice to you because its professional courtesy and its not like high school were you have a cool group and everyone trying to fit into some sought of defined mould.
 
JWH

JWH

Well-known member
Introvert, are you currently at uni or studying? How would you get into such an industry?

There are a couple issues I have so far with the job I may apply for. It is full time and I am still studying, but will be finished in a few weeks or so. I have never used Quark and have done very little Illustrator work. And finally I will have to do a 2 week course in the summer to make up for a few units if I want to graduate next year. I guess I can explain this later though.

T.D., I'm sure there are. It's just those job ads that say, "designer needed for fast environment." I can get so worked up over the fact that I may be lying. I am not a fast person and I despise fast environments.


I will post my portfolio here for criticism & comment when I get it finished in a day or so.
 
I

introvert

Well-known member
Don't get worked up over the fact that you think you're not suitable. Just apply and if you get the job, even then you can still reject it, and just know inside that you had a success. I'm not at uni, I dropped out because of SP. Want to continue it someday (hopefully when in "cured" lol). It seems like you have some qualifications in the field, and experience, that counts a lot. I would just prepare the CV, application letter, portfolio as best I can, and apply for everything and anything that sounds good.
 
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