What are the most common emotional challenges when starting a new job and how can EI help you overcome them?

1 Anxiety and self-doubt

You may feel anxious and insecure about your performance, your expectations, and your fit in the new organization. To overcome these feelings, you need to use your EI to boost your self-confidence and resilience. Recognizing and acknowledging your emotions, rather than ignoring or suppressing them, can help you understand what triggers your anxiety and how to cope with it. Additionally, remind yourself of your strengths, achievements, and goals to focus on the positives and what you can contribute to the new job. Seeking feedback and support from your manager, mentors, and peers is also beneficial for learning from mistakes, improving skills, and building trust with your new team.

2 Loneliness and isolation

When starting a new job, it can be difficult to feel connected with your coworkers, especially if you are working remotely or in a different location. To help with this, you must use your emotional intelligence to build your social network and sense of belonging. Reach out and introduce yourself to your new coworkers, both formally and informally, to break the ice and learn more about them. Additionally, engage in small talk and casual conversations with them both online and offline, to find common ground and create rapport. Finally, join or initiate social activities and events with your new coworkers such as lunch breaks, coffee chats, happy hours, or team building exercises; this will help you have fun and bond with your team.

3 Frustration and confusion

Beginning a new job can be daunting, especially if you are met with a lot of changes, challenges, and uncertainties. You may find yourself dealing with a steep learning curve, different culture, or conflicting communication and management styles. Additionally, you may experience problems, errors, or conflicts which can impede your progress and performance. To combat these feelings, you should use your emotional intelligence (EI) to strengthen your problem-solving and communication skills. Asking questions to clarify expectations with your manager, mentors, and colleagues will help you understand your role and responsibilities more clearly while avoiding misunderstandings or mistakes. Additionally, seeking and offering help and advice with the same people can help you learn new skills, overcome obstacles, and share your insights and solutions. Lastly, expressing and addressing your concerns and issues with all parties involved will help you vent emotions, resolve conflicts, and improve relationships in collaboration. Starting a new job can be difficult but it can also be an incredibly rewarding experience. By using EI to its full potential, you can turn negative emotions into positive ones while creating a successful career transition.

4 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?