Anyone ever have anxiety of not being good enough at work?
Discussion
Hi All! So a little bit about my professional situation: I work full time in IT in now a fairly senior position (hands on/ops, not management) due to my experience. However, it feels like I've achieved all I can in my current place and politics is the limiting factor, not my ability, due to unlimited politics of all forms and indecision (don't get me wrong, I know politics is around everywhere).
I've found a vacancy which is just what I'm looking for, sounds ideal. CV sent and recruiter is confident I'll get an interview. The job is senior (current job is too but the structure isn't really there) but I feel I'm not good enough for the position, even though the job spec is in line with my experience. It's anxiety.
I know that at the current place, I'm not learning anywhere near as much as I should be, so I need to move, but where I am, things aren't done in a formal way you'd expect in the enterprise, compared to where I want to move to. That contributes to my anxiety. I feel like being senior, you're expected to know everything. It's not true as even in my department, there are senior people who openly say they don't know the cause of an issue. Any advice appreciated.
I've found a vacancy which is just what I'm looking for, sounds ideal. CV sent and recruiter is confident I'll get an interview. The job is senior (current job is too but the structure isn't really there) but I feel I'm not good enough for the position, even though the job spec is in line with my experience. It's anxiety.
I know that at the current place, I'm not learning anywhere near as much as I should be, so I need to move, but where I am, things aren't done in a formal way you'd expect in the enterprise, compared to where I want to move to. That contributes to my anxiety. I feel like being senior, you're expected to know everything. It's not true as even in my department, there are senior people who openly say they don't know the cause of an issue. Any advice appreciated.
Would I be right in guessing you have been at your current place for a good while and haven't interviewed much during that time?
Even if not, its a perfectly normal thing to go through when climbing the ladder or even just changing organisations.
I used to get when younger but as a contractor im always on the look out for the next role and changing jobs every year or three depending on the role and it just vanished at some stage that I can't even put a time frame on now come to think of it.
You'll be right. The anxiety is a sign that you're keen to progress but a little unsure on how to perhaps articulate your specific skill set. Try not to over complicate things in your mind.
Remember that interviews are as much about you finding out if the role and company culture is a good fit for you as much as them looking at if you are the right fit for the role.
Even if not, its a perfectly normal thing to go through when climbing the ladder or even just changing organisations.
I used to get when younger but as a contractor im always on the look out for the next role and changing jobs every year or three depending on the role and it just vanished at some stage that I can't even put a time frame on now come to think of it.
You'll be right. The anxiety is a sign that you're keen to progress but a little unsure on how to perhaps articulate your specific skill set. Try not to over complicate things in your mind.
Remember that interviews are as much about you finding out if the role and company culture is a good fit for you as much as them looking at if you are the right fit for the role.
Z064life said:
Hi All! So a little bit about my professional situation: I work full time in IT in now a fairly senior position (hands on/ops, not management) due to my experience. However, it feels like I've achieved all I can in my current place and politics is the limiting factor, not my ability, due to unlimited politics of all forms and indecision (don't get me wrong, I know politics is around everywhere).
I've found a vacancy which is just what I'm looking for, sounds ideal. CV sent and recruiter is confident I'll get an interview. The job is senior (current job is too but the structure isn't really there) but I feel I'm not good enough for the position, even though the job spec is in line with my experience. It's anxiety.
I know that at the current place, I'm not learning anywhere near as much as I should be, so I need to move, but where I am, things aren't done in a formal way you'd expect in the enterprise, compared to where I want to move to. That contributes to my anxiety. I feel like being senior, you're expected to know everything. It's not true as even in my department, there are senior people who openly say they don't know the cause of an issue. Any advice appreciated.
I can't offer any advice but you've just described my current predicament.I've found a vacancy which is just what I'm looking for, sounds ideal. CV sent and recruiter is confident I'll get an interview. The job is senior (current job is too but the structure isn't really there) but I feel I'm not good enough for the position, even though the job spec is in line with my experience. It's anxiety.
I know that at the current place, I'm not learning anywhere near as much as I should be, so I need to move, but where I am, things aren't done in a formal way you'd expect in the enterprise, compared to where I want to move to. That contributes to my anxiety. I feel like being senior, you're expected to know everything. It's not true as even in my department, there are senior people who openly say they don't know the cause of an issue. Any advice appreciated.
I'm also in IT working in a senior level and have applied elsewhere for similar reasons. Whilst I would love the job I've applied for I'm terrified that I won't be able to do it!
Only recently I've realised that I have a general issue with anxiety, and this has sometimes held me back career wise.
Saying that, when I have overcome my concerns and made the move, things have worked out.
I made an internal move from a system engineer to technical project management and on my first day in the job I was like WTF have I done?! A few weeks later I was loving it and ended up doing pretty well.
Just go for it.
Saying that, when I have overcome my concerns and made the move, things have worked out.
I made an internal move from a system engineer to technical project management and on my first day in the job I was like WTF have I done?! A few weeks later I was loving it and ended up doing pretty well.
Just go for it.
Heathwood said:
In my experience, job descriptions nearly always big up a role and make it sound far more challenging than it really is.
Go for it, I'm sure you'll be fine.
This. I work in IT and have had a few different roles. Providing you are reasonably competent, then you will be fine.Go for it, I'm sure you'll be fine.
I've done jobs where certain qualifications have been a requirement (Prince 2, ITIL, ISEB etc) and when you find hardly anyone has the qualifications themselves.
Heathwood said:
In my experience, job descriptions nearly always big up a role and make it sound far more challenging than it really is.
Go for it, I'm sure you'll be fine.
And in my experience most people big up their own role and abilities. Go for it, I'm sure you'll be fine.
Even the top CEO's of multi-nationals self-doubt and wonder how they got themselves into that role. Totally natural to do it IMO - go for it, as has been said, you'll be fine. Let the company decide if you are good enough for the role, not you. You'd be your own worse enemy if you decide you're too junior for a job and not the person who wants to employ you.
I've been at my current job for four years.
If anything, that contributes to the anxiety as it is by far my longest job, with the most success. Although the success doesn't say a lot as things aren't really done properly and expectations are low, but I still perform as if expectations are high.
The thing that worries me is that you're expected to have strong experience in every aspect of the system you support. This depends on the implementations you've done of course and I am pretty well experienced and I work independently. The job spec isn't a huge leap in what I do today.
And then I'm worried that the company may be a mess too...
If anything, that contributes to the anxiety as it is by far my longest job, with the most success. Although the success doesn't say a lot as things aren't really done properly and expectations are low, but I still perform as if expectations are high.
The thing that worries me is that you're expected to have strong experience in every aspect of the system you support. This depends on the implementations you've done of course and I am pretty well experienced and I work independently. The job spec isn't a huge leap in what I do today.
And then I'm worried that the company may be a mess too...
Z064life said:
I've been at my current job for four years.
If anything, that contributes to the anxiety as it is by far my longest job, with the most success. Although the success doesn't say a lot as things aren't really done properly and expectations are low, but I still perform as if expectations are high.
The thing that worries me is that you're expected to have strong experience in every aspect of the system you support. This depends on the implementations you've done of course and I am pretty well experienced and I work independently. The job spec isn't a huge leap in what I do today.
And then I'm worried that the company may be a mess too...
If you are not happy then time to move on - if the new job doesn't work out you can always move again.If anything, that contributes to the anxiety as it is by far my longest job, with the most success. Although the success doesn't say a lot as things aren't really done properly and expectations are low, but I still perform as if expectations are high.
The thing that worries me is that you're expected to have strong experience in every aspect of the system you support. This depends on the implementations you've done of course and I am pretty well experienced and I work independently. The job spec isn't a huge leap in what I do today.
And then I'm worried that the company may be a mess too...
t.I look around me as well and I see the people I work with. Some very good, even world class people. Others I hand hold and feels like I have to carry people in practical work and in meetings. Another factor for the unhappiness.
I am pretty competitive in wanting to be very, very good in what I do and I've always felt I'd fit in to a high functioning, talented team. The opportunity seems to be here now (this job)...
I'm just worried about probation periods I guess. I've failed a few when I first started out in IT as I had no experience of the work I was doing or even how to manage expectations, etc.
I am pretty competitive in wanting to be very, very good in what I do and I've always felt I'd fit in to a high functioning, talented team. The opportunity seems to be here now (this job)...
I'm just worried about probation periods I guess. I've failed a few when I first started out in IT as I had no experience of the work I was doing or even how to manage expectations, etc.
ninja-lewis said:
This. Much better position to be in that the opposite (the Dunning-Kruger effect).So I have a second and last round interview with the place I've applied for. The job, on paper, sounds fantastic, with a chance to gain some real experience and not stagnate waiting for things to be decided. More pay, bigger company, bigger projects, etc. That also scares me.
However, I feel so anxious because I am "comfortable" where I am. I have predictability and safety. I'm not getting anywhere near the commercial experience this job could offer, and I hate the idea I'm sitting around wasting my time when I am in the prime of my career. It's not a fast paced environment and that's what I need to be working in. So I feel current job is damaging my career, and my anxiety is stemming from it.
I passed the technical interview so the employer knows I know the technology, and I am just practicing and going over stuff in labs to validate myself (and not struggling).
If I don't move, things won't improve where I am, either. All my friends and cousins move but don't seem to feel this way?
It's a huge gamble.
However, I feel so anxious because I am "comfortable" where I am. I have predictability and safety. I'm not getting anywhere near the commercial experience this job could offer, and I hate the idea I'm sitting around wasting my time when I am in the prime of my career. It's not a fast paced environment and that's what I need to be working in. So I feel current job is damaging my career, and my anxiety is stemming from it.
I passed the technical interview so the employer knows I know the technology, and I am just practicing and going over stuff in labs to validate myself (and not struggling).
If I don't move, things won't improve where I am, either. All my friends and cousins move but don't seem to feel this way?
It's a huge gamble.
All the time. But I read this at the weekend and it made me feel a bit better.
Neil Gaiman said:
Some years ago, I was lucky enough invited to a gathering of great and good people: artists and scientists, writers and discoverers of things. And I felt that at any moment they would realise that I didn’t qualify to be there, among these people who had really done things.
On my second or third night there, I was standing at the back of the hall, while a musical entertainment happened, and I started talking to a very nice, polite, elderly gentleman about several things, including our shared first name. And then he pointed to the hall of people, and said words to the effect of, “I just look at all these people, and I think, what the heck am I doing here? They’ve made amazing things. I just went where I was sent.”
And I said, “Yes. But you were the first man on the moon. I think that counts for something.”
And I felt a bit better. Because if Neil Armstrong felt like an imposter, maybe everyone did. Maybe there weren’t any grown-ups, only people who had worked hard and also got lucky and were slightly out of their depth, all of us doing the best job we could, which is all we can really hope for.
On my second or third night there, I was standing at the back of the hall, while a musical entertainment happened, and I started talking to a very nice, polite, elderly gentleman about several things, including our shared first name. And then he pointed to the hall of people, and said words to the effect of, “I just look at all these people, and I think, what the heck am I doing here? They’ve made amazing things. I just went where I was sent.”
And I said, “Yes. But you were the first man on the moon. I think that counts for something.”
And I felt a bit better. Because if Neil Armstrong felt like an imposter, maybe everyone did. Maybe there weren’t any grown-ups, only people who had worked hard and also got lucky and were slightly out of their depth, all of us doing the best job we could, which is all we can really hope for.
If you're into self help books at all, I read this when I was in a similar situation to you and considering leaving a job I'd been in for 8 years and was very comfortable in, for another job where I was unproven and an unknown quantity.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/cka/Feel-Fear-Do-Anyway...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/cka/Feel-Fear-Do-Anyway...
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