First of all, CONGRATS!!!! Super excited about your new gig. You are growing in a crucial area of life! Starting a new job can bring mixed feelings of emotions. On one side, you might feel proud because hard work paid off, but at the same time, you might be anxious. But don’t worry; this is common. 

It is natural to be anxious when starting something new. You are going into unknown territory and will have to meet new people and learn new things. For example, when I started my first internship at Google, I didn’t sleep the night before and was a bit nervous about it. You start thinking, what if the job is not how you imagine? Or what if you can’t handle the workload? I had to move to another state during the summer of the internship, and I was worried I wouldn’t get there on time on the first day. But I learned to overcome these worries as time went by. 

To start off, trace the anxiety to the source. You will see that identifying triggering points will help you provide solutions. 

Here are some tips that can help overcome new job anxiety

• Take a deep breath. You got the jobs because of your talent, and no one can take that away from you.

• Practice the routine ahead of time. If you work in the office, drive the route you will take. Or, if you will work from home, practice your routine. 

• Set everything up the night before. Pick out your clothes and have an idea of what you will have for breakfast/dinner. 

• If you feel uncomfortable meeting new people, consider your introduction. You will likely be put on the spot and asked to introduce yourself. So work on that introduction speech so you know what to say.

•  If you are working from home and think you might have technical issues, make a note of your manager’s and recruiters’ email and have it handy. Identify those resources early on.

• Find a relaxing activity to do at the end of your first day. It can be exhausting to learn new processes, software, protocols, etc. This will also make you look forward to the end of the day.

• Be patient. You are going to get a firehose of information. Expect to learn only some things in one day. 

• Don’t be too hard on yourself. It might be tempting to think, “I need to impress my team and prove myself on the first day.” But remember, you are new. There is no expectation on your first day.

• Plan a reward at the end of your first week. You got through orientation and met your co-workers. Nice! Celebrate it, and remember to let your support system know of the accomplishment! They will be happy to hear about it 🙂 

Remember, there are some things you can’t control, so if things don’t go according to plan, don’t sweat them. And inevitably, your fears or concerns will fade into the background as the days start to follow. You got this!!