Scared to get into the work force for the first time.

[timidpea]

Okie Dokie, i desperately need to get a job soon but i have numerous problems in regards to getting and maintaining a job which gives me severe anxiety and i deliberately avoid searching and applying for a job. First, i have no mental support. I have little to none close people in my life that are available or caring enough to reassure me and support me, so i'm on my own. Worst case scenario, i have to go to a job interview my myself.

Second, my transport options are inadequate. I only have my learners and don't get much opportunities to practice so i can only take the bus and walk. Annoying thing about the bus is that they're only available every half and hour so depending on the time i could be late or too early (i hate being in public) and my physicality is atrocious. A mere 5 minutes of walking takes its toll...

Thirdly, I'm Autistic. Fourthly, jobs don't feel secure to me? With school you're pretty much cemented a spot but with a job i feel i'd find it so hard to relax, especially considering the bitchy work place environments my mum describes! I'm scared to find myself stuck in a nasty employee environment. So far those are my concerns with getting a job, i did have some work experience and as much i didn't enjoy the work itself the people there were lovely. I hope i strike lucky and get a nice job but... yea, i'm scared.

[white knight]

Hi, welcome

Yes it can be tough finding your first job, no doubt. At 17yo my first job was joining the Air Force. They flew me to Adelaide and I had to live with many young men, run , run, run.

What seems clear to me reading your post is that you have developed lots of negativity. The contrast between being a positive person and a negative one will determine if you get a job or not.

To become a positive person isn’t hard - just swap around your thought processes.

I will take the bus, I will get a job, I won’t worry about my appearance and so on. When I was young most people didn’t own a car.

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Well done in writing in here, that’s a great start

TonyWK

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi timidpea,

Thanks for your post. Not gonna lie - I was a bit reluctant to answer because I feel like maybe I won't help because I struggle with a lot of the same things. But then I thought maybe I could say me too and that might help anyways.

Given you made a list, I'll try and keep to that too. Do you think you can find some mental support? Here is a great place to start, but even if you were to look at getting a therapist just for a bit of help - especially with anxiety. Therapists often see lots of people with anxiety especially around the workplace so it might help.

If you took the bus, perhaps there could be a place that you could go that would be a bit quieter so as you're not waiting where it's really busy? One of the job interviews I had to go to was in the main street, so I looked at a museum and another time I looked at a library. It made a huge difference.

and yes, with school you are cemented a spot but with a job you somewhat are too - whether that's part time for 12 months, or permanent - that's your spot. There is also every chance that you won't get a bitchy work environment! Depending on the type of job you're looking for, there may be the option to volunteer (so you can try it out with no commitment) or even just to hang about the place so you can see what the employees are like and imagine what it might be like behind the scenes.

Hope this helps a little!

rt

[Step_Twelve]

Our anxiety loves to convince us that the worst possible outcome is an absolute certainty; That any future endeavour is fraught with peril and will become so awful we simply won't be able to cope. Anxiety latches onto very valid and real concerns to try to legitimise these irrational worries – workplaces can be "bitchy", transport is a pain, and interviews are nerve-wracking. But are these things so bad that you won't be able to meet the challenge and thrive anyway? I don't know for sure, but I suspect it's very unlikely. It's far more likely that you will get a nice job and the people will be kind and supportive. Even if that doesn't happen, you will probably overcome the various workplace challenges that come your way and prove your anxiety wrong (as many of us do over and over again).

It's concerning that you feel you don't have much support around mental health. I know that I would not have been able to improve entirely on my own. Firstly, you have some support here – we can listen and share experiences, so that's a start. Perhaps next time you see your doctor, you could discuss your worries with him/her? This was a really good starting point for me.

Good luck with your future career, and I hope all goes well for you.