Dealing with Career Anxiety
In a sea of extremely talented students, not just at USyd, but across all of Australia, it’s easy for the pressure to land a job to buildup. With dozens of applications to write and no certainty of a job in a tough graduate market, it’s understandable to be very concerned. Pressure from family, staff, and even yourself can begin to add up come application season, creating a snowball effect that can make finding a job even more overwhelming.
It’s clear to see that there are numerous reasons why career anxiety happens. It can manifest itself through increased stress, anxiety, procrastination, and it can make you feel like giving up. It affects more people than you think. Even those who are successful in your eyes have their own struggles and constantly battle with their self-belief. It’s important to remember that you are never alone. It can also come from not having done enough career planning at the beginning, resulting in unclear options or feeling mismatched with where you are directing yourself as examples.
While there isn’t one exact way to get rid of career anxiety, there are different things to try and see what works for you.
ACTIONS
- Preparation
Making sure that you are completely prepared for an interview or application can help give you some satisfaction that you are ready for any challenge thrown your way. Make sure you’ve reality checked the industry you are applying to – are you really sure it’s the one for you. Have you got back up plans B and C, in case plan A doesn’t work out?
- Networking
Statistically, not everyone is going to win a grad role at a top tier corporate. Many of the other attractive entry level opportunities are never advertised publicly. By putting yourself out there and reaching out to different people, you can try to gain experience without a traditional application.This can often take the pressure off a highly formalised process.
- Achievements
Sometimes it is very useful to just zoom out and have a look at the bigger picture. While you may focus on what hasn’t gone right, take some time to make a list of everything that you have done. You’ll be surprised at how much you have achieved and you can turn to this list as a reminder of your capabilities!
- Seek help
The Business School CEO team has expert career counsellors ready to connect with you on any career topic. You can book in with the team via the Business School CEO site on Career Hub. If you want expert support with anxiety, the CAPS team is available.
MINDSET
- Dealing with rejection
Yes. It’s really frustrating to receive rejection after rejection, or sometimes just be completely ghosted by a firm. Have faith that you will find an opportunity and reach your goals with persistence. Try to embrace growth by seeking feedback on your applications or interviews from your interviewers. While they won’t always have time to give you individual feedback, it is very helpful to hear their thoughts. Now you’ll know exactly how to improve moving forward and see rejection as a learning opportunity.
- Reminders to yourself
It can be helpful to remind yourself daily that you are only ever running your own race. The timeline for your career is different to your peers, so comparing yourself to your friends or people you see on LinkedIn is futile.
This piece is an extract from the 2021 SUBS Young Professionals Guide.
In a sea of extremely talented students, not just at USyd, but across all of Australia, it’s easy for the pressure to land a job to buildup. With dozens of applications to write and no certainty of a job in a tough graduate market, it’s understandable to be very concerned. Pressure from family, staff, and even yourself can begin to add up come application season, creating a snowball effect that can make finding a job even more overwhelming.
It’s clear to see that there are numerous reasons why career anxiety happens. It can manifest itself through increased stress, anxiety, procrastination, and it can make you feel like giving up. It affects more people than you think. Even those who are successful in your eyes have their own struggles and constantly battle with their self-belief. It’s important to remember that you are never alone. It can also come from not having done enough career planning at the beginning, resulting in unclear options or feeling mismatched with where you are directing yourself as examples.
While there isn’t one exact way to get rid of career anxiety, there are different things to try and see what works for you.
ACTIONS
- Preparation
Making sure that you are completely prepared for an interview or application can help give you some satisfaction that you are ready for any challenge thrown your way. Make sure you’ve reality checked the industry you are applying to – are you really sure it’s the one for you. Have you got back up plans B and C, in case plan A doesn’t work out?
- Networking
Statistically, not everyone is going to win a grad role at a top tier corporate. Many of the other attractive entry level opportunities are never advertised publicly. By putting yourself out there and reaching out to different people, you can try to gain experience without a traditional application.This can often take the pressure off a highly formalised process.
- Achievements
Sometimes it is very useful to just zoom out and have a look at the bigger picture. While you may focus on what hasn’t gone right, take some time to make a list of everything that you have done. You’ll be surprised at how much you have achieved and you can turn to this list as a reminder of your capabilities!
- Seek help
The Business School CEO team has expert career counsellors ready to connect with you on any career topic. You can book in with the team via the Business School CEO site on Career Hub. If you want expert support with anxiety, the CAPS team is available.
MINDSET
- Dealing with rejection
Yes. It’s really frustrating to receive rejection after rejection, or sometimes just be completely ghosted by a firm. Have faith that you will find an opportunity and reach your goals with persistence. Try to embrace growth by seeking feedback on your applications or interviews from your interviewers. While they won’t always have time to give you individual feedback, it is very helpful to hear their thoughts. Now you’ll know exactly how to improve moving forward and see rejection as a learning opportunity.
- Reminders to yourself
It can be helpful to remind yourself daily that you are only ever running your own race. The timeline for your career is different to your peers, so comparing yourself to your friends or people you see on LinkedIn is futile.
This piece is an extract from the 2021 SUBS Young Professionals Guide.
