Sometimes you can be your own worst enemy -- especially when it comes
to progressing in your career. Most people fear certain things, such as
a change in their role or facing rejection when vying for a promotion,
which can affect their ability to move up.
Think fears might be holding back your career? Here are common worries that can hurt your career and how to move past them:
Fear of failure
Fear of failure can creep in at any moment and paralyze your success at work.
"We
occasionally encounter job seekers who are so concerned about failing,
they refuse to take on additional projects, challenges or new positions
because they're afraid they will make a mistake," says Jessica
Hernandez, president of Great Résumés Fast.
To
help build self-assurance, Hernandez suggests that candidates who are
afraid of failure should "start out small, taking on new challenges and
tasks that aren't as intimidating and gradually build up their
confidence to tackle larger projects as they come along."
Fear of rejection
Whether
you're afraid to flunk a job interview or to ask for a promotion, being
afraid to get "no" as an answer can keep you from even trying to move
ahead. Job seekers can be especially sensitive to rejection.
"For
job seekers, rejection means that they have failed in some way,
regardless of whether the company was a good fit to begin with," says
Anthony Morrison, vice president
of employer solutions at Cachinko, a job referral firm for Facebook
users. No matter where you are in your career, think of rejection as a
learning experience that will help you improve your job-search strategy,
Morrison suggests.
Fear of change
Approaching your
career with a don't-fix-what's-not-broken mentality can be a negative.
While dealing with change can be difficult, being afraid of change can
equal missed opportunities.
Fear of change "holds a candidate
back, because they'll never step out and take the promotion or accept a
better opportunity with another company," Hernandez says. "It can
potentially reduce a person's growth potential and their lifetime income
by thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars."
Fear of relocation
A
side effect of our slow economy has been that job seekers have had to
be more open in terms of where they will work, and that can be scary for
workers who have families or who have lived in one area all of their
lives.
If you're considering a job in another city or region,
don't let fear stop you from a potential opportunity. You might really
enjoy your new location, or you may find that your employer is open to
you telecommuting.
"Candidates looking for jobs should be open to
doing interviews via Skype and the possibility of telecommuting,
temporarily or permanently," says Morgan Norman, founder of WorkSimple, a
social goal management
program. Don't be afraid to look outside of your geographical area. If
companies think a particular candidate is a good fit, it may be possible
to arrange a way to do some work remotely, he says.
Fear of taking on a leadership role
Hiding
in a cubicle is easier than speaking in a boardroom, and that's one
reason some may be afraid of moving into a management role. While
increased job responsibility can sometimes be overwhelming, the positive
outweighs the negative, says James Alexander, founder of Vizibility, a
personal branding platform provider.
Not reaching for more opportunities can set you back in the long run.
"In
order to progress professionally, it's important to take on [tasks]
that you may not always be comfortable with," Alexander says.
Fear of losing work-life balance
To
some employees, a more prestigious job title or starting at a different
firm just means more time spent away from the home. But fearing that
increased job responsibilities will disturb your work-life balance can
set you back in the long run.
Instead of staying under the radar,
think of the perks: better pay, higher role, etc. Taking a risk with a
new position doesn't need to mean you'll be at work 24-7. You can always
talk to your manager about ways to create more balance (working from
home once a week, coming in early so you can leave a little early to
pick up your kids from school) once you've started, but don't discount
the job or role just because fears creep up.
Fear of changing industries
Switching
industries can be another fear for job seekers who are used to working
within one particular industry. Often, the fear is unfounded, and it's
important to apply wherever your skills are needed.
"These job
seekers should know that many skills are not only needed, but also
transferable within different fields," Alexander says. "Do your research
and try to connect with human resources
professionals to gain a better understanding of the position. That way,
you'll have a better idea of where you can apply your skill set within
the organization."