Is It Normal to Have Career Anxiety?
Published April 11th, 2024
4 min read
Feeling anxious and stressed at work is normal, especially if you’re a recent graduate. But you don’t have to face these feelings alone.
Written by Simon Spichak
Ever wonder if you’re the only one who gets anxious about their career — feeling inadequate, constantly on edge, or worried that you’ll never meet your goals? Surveys of recent graduates and young professionals suggest you’re not the only one. These feelings can be overwhelming, affecting your personal life as well as your performance at work. Therapists with career counselling experience can help you get to the root of these issues to effectively manage your career anxiety.
How common is career anxiety?
Your first job can sometimes be a difficult or alienating experience, especially if you’re the youngest person at the office, have trouble making new friends, or are already dealing with anxiety, depression or other mental health issues.
Exactly how common is it?
In one survey, 40 percent of graduates felt their college or university education hasn’t prepared them for their career, while another found that half of young professionals experience a form of this anxiety.
Signs of career anxiety
Everybody experiences career anxiety a little bit differently. At work, career anxiety can manifest as:
Difficulty concentrating or focusing on tasks that used to be easy
Problems completing work assignments accurately and on time
Developing impostor syndrome — where you constantly feel inadequate and lazy despite how hard or how well you work
Severe anxiety over meetings, emails or phone calls with managers or team members
Worried you’re going to be stuck in the same unfulfilling job forever
Compulsive thoughts about work
This anxiety can also contribute to other physical or mental health problems, including:
Difficulty sleeping
Feeling irritable or constantly on edge
Decreased motivation
Problems maintaining healthy relationships
Worsening symptoms of other mental health conditions
How to deal with career anxiety
There are many different strategies to help you tackle career anxiety. Some people are able to overcome their career anxiety on their own, but there is also no shame in going to a therapist for a helping hand. Here are some proven strategies that could help.
Stress-relieving activities
Make sure to schedule in time for hobbies or activities that can help relieve stress and help you unwind. This can include yoga or breathing exercises, journaling, going for a walk outside, playing sports, or other activities like video games.
Finding social supports
Whether it’s a co-worker, family member, friend, or anonymous peer, it is important to find someone that you can speak with about your feelings. You’ll discover that you’re not the only person experiencing these feelings, and you can share coping strategies for dealing with the anxiety.
Therapy and professional support
It can be helpful to speak with a therapist about the feelings and symptoms that you’re experiencing. Therapists can help drill down to the root of career anxiety and teach you ways to overcome some of the overwhelming feelings that you’re experiencing.
Therapists with career counselling experience can also ensure that your current work is aligned with your personal goals and values and help you work through any compulsive thoughts you might be having about it.
How Resolve can help
Career anxiety is normal, especially when you’re applying for work or starting your first job after graduating. You don’t have to go through the overwhelming experience alone.
Resolvve’s therapists have extensive experience working with students and recent graduates to help them overcome the challenges they’re experiencing at work. For students still enrolled in colleges and universities in Ontario, but graduating this year, it also means that the cost of the therapy is heavily subsidized by student insurance.
Interested in speaking with a therapist about career concerns?
You can book an appointment online with us here. If you’re interested in expanding the support that your educational institution or organization offers for students and recent graduates, please send an email to info@resolvve.ca to discuss how we can help.
Please note that this post is written for educational purposes; it is not therapy. If you need to talk to a professional, please book a consultation with a psychotherapist through Resolvve.
