Anxiety during Job Search

Hey all,

I have battled with anxiety and depression for several years and started medication about a year ago. Currently, I have graduated college and am now looking for a job. While usually my anxiety is relatively controllable, I have been having panic attacks and serve bouts of anxiety that are often very hard to get out of and sometimes even crippling while looking for a job.

I know it's because I feel under a lot of pressure and really need to secure a stable job, but it takes so much energy and time to convince myself to break out of my anxiety shell and go to interviews. Once I do make it, if there are any factors that get in the way, I loose control and get even more anxious and ultimately retreat.

For instance, today I had a job interview but I couldn't find the correct place to meet the interviewer. I went to building after building and asked for directions from different people, all in which resulted in me being late. I was so frustrated and anxious that I just left. I felt that there was no way I could meet the interviewer in my state let alone conduct a good interview.

Does anyone have any tips or strategies that help overcome job and interview stress and anxiety? I appreciate any helpful feedback. Thanks.

I know exactly how you feel! I have felt like my heart was going to pound out of my chest at so many interviews, and pouring with sweat. (sometimes excited versus nervous, and I'd still end up anxious!) And I'm in customer service management, so you feel even more guilty when you can't get it together! lol :) My best suggestion would be to get prepared as much as possible for the interview. If you need to do a test run ahead of time, to make sure you know where you are going, it will keep that from becoming an obstacle the "day of". Try to get rid of any stress factors within your control before the interview. Leave VERY early if that is what's needed to make yourself comfortable. Deep breaths!

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Originally Posted by dothebartman

Hey all,

I have battled with anxiety and depression for several years and started medication about a year ago. Currently, I have graduated college and am now looking for a job. While usually my anxiety is relatively controllable, I have been having panic attacks and serve bouts of anxiety that are often very hard to get out of and sometimes even crippling while looking for a job.

I know it's because I feel under a lot of pressure and really need to secure a stable job, but it takes so much energy and time to convince myself to break out of my anxiety shell and go to interviews. Once I do make it, if there are any factors that get in the way, I loose control and get even more anxious and ultimately retreat.

For instance, today I had a job interview but I couldn't find the correct place to meet the interviewer. I went to building after building and asked for directions from different people, all in which resulted in me being late. I was so frustrated and anxious that I just left. I felt that there was no way I could meet the interviewer in my state let alone conduct a good interview.

Does anyone have any tips or strategies that help overcome job and interview stress and anxiety? I appreciate any helpful feedback. Thanks.

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Going to job interviews is stressful enough when you aren't someone who has additional anxiety, so I totally understand why you would be feeling this way. As many job interviews as I've done, I still feel ridiculously nervous every single time, even though I present like a confident, well put together individual. Funny thing is, my day job as a Career Development Specialist involves working with people on a daily basis to prepare them for employment, so I need to be taking my own classes! Preparation is the key. Do as much as you can to prepare ahead of time; have someone practice interview questions with you, have a cheat sheet of answers you can study in the car. Really take time at home to prepare well thought out answers to basic interview questions; if you've gone over and over them before walking into an interview they're already going to be in your conscious and you aren't answering questions cold. Arrive way early...it might result in sitting in the car for a while, but if that's the case you can use the time to relax and prepare before you go in, and you won't be worried about not knowing where you are going, etc. Do a dry run. Go inside and locate the office where the interview will be taking place; no harm in saying, "I have an interview in 30 minutes, I just wanted to make sure I was in the right place." That goes a long way in making you look reliable as well! And in all seriousness, as cliche and silly as it sounds, fake it 'till you make it. Act confident, even if you aren't.

job interviews suck

HealthAnxNut, Thanks for all your advice. It will be helpful the next time I have an interview coming up. It's nice to know I'm not the only person who struggles with interviews!

str8trippin, Thank you for all your feedback! Job interviews are just so stressful in any situation, but you offered very nice advice to help reduce that pressure. These tips sound great and will greatly reduce my anxiety my next go around for interviews. I'm feeling more confident now than I did before!

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Originally Posted by acetone

job interviews suck

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Yes, they do.