[Winklepicker]

If so, any bits of advice for overcoming this?

Is this a perfectionist thing?


I had a (phone) interview recently with what started out to be one of my ideal jobs (at least for next step). It actually was the hardest interview I've ever had, but THANKFULLY I studied up the whazoo ahead of time and think I actually did really well.

Today I got a really positive sign from them (moving forward), and suddenly I find myself actually questioning whether or not I'd move forward with the job if I got it just because I'm getting nervous about somehow not living up to their expectations on the job--even though I'd do my best and try to keep up communications to understand their expectations and how to live up to them.

^Pretty pathetic, I realize, but my last job/work environment was pretty dysfunctional (er...that was why I left it)--jobs prior to the last one wouldn't have made me this nervous.


Anyway, any thoughts on how to work past 'performance fears' would be appreciated - thanks.

[Polymath20]

Performance anxiety for work is just a form of conscientiousness. If you are concerned about your performance then it will likely be obvious.

I'm usually nervous until I settle in and get used to everyone I work with. Once I'm familiar with the job/company/everything I generally know how I'm doing. I rarely get criticism or warnings and when I do I am usually aware of what I was doing wrong.

[Feral]

Yes.
'Fake it til you make it'.
Act confident, and you will be treated as confident, and you will become confident. I know, easier said than done. Study up on body language, firstly. Don't allow yourself to subconsciously fall into nervous body language and closing yourself off, and use that which shows that you are confident. After a time of faking it, you won't have to fake it anymore, because you will be used to acting confident, which on the outside, is no different than being confident. After a time, it seeps in, and that's who you are.

Aside from that, as long as you are qualified, don't sweat it too much. Make it apparent that you are ready to learn, and absorb everything you are taught. Ask good, specific questions about what they tell you. They will know that you are new, you don't have to act like any sort of old pro, just act like you're happy to be there and confident that you'll do fine.

[Silence]

I agree with Feral. I often have to do this, and when my anxieties rear up, I find myself taking things slowly, confidently and above all, remain calm. It may be a defense mechanism or a deliberate move, but I've found that it seems to provide the right solution for most cases.

Don't get rattled.
And congratulations on your success on the phone interview!

[Othesemo]

My job is performance, and performance anxiety can be crippling as a result. I've personally cultivated two solutions to this. Firstly, I eat dark chocolate before hand. It's surprisingly calming for one reason or another. Secondly, and more importantly, I've managed to develop a sort of confidence which makes performing much, much easier. Basically, I postulate that I meet the minimum requirements of the job be default, seeing as I got it. Even if I perform as poorly as I can while still trying, I'll be satisfactory, and I won't loose work because of it. Thus, I approach every performance as an opportunity, not to fail, but to prove myself even better than expected. It's helped me a great deal.

[eagleseven]

I used to get it bad for a few months, because a mistake can result in another's harm or death. The only cure was more experience...the more you deal with life-and-death situations, the better you get at handling them, and the less you worry about them.

Although manning the blood bank still gives me nightmares. *shudders*

[spect]

i used to, but often used it as an additional motivational driver to excel. partially stemming from insecurities developed while younger, i was a constant over-achiever. if i wasnt the best engineer i could get incredibly anxious and its one of the main reasons i eventually became the youngest technical architect. in the techie world its often based on a
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, so it wasnt just the best to perform, i had to be the most knowledgeable with a dynamic skill set. incredibly debilitating, and it wasnt until having to go work in a developing country from poverty that my insecurities from youth were triggered, and i started getting panic attacks.


i think when its a perfectionist based thing, its different, but can point to an underlying sense of inadequacy with some thats similar to insecurities. when thats true its usually good to re-examine who you are and what you have achieved, balanced with what others have achieved and are capable of. but equally important to note the reasons you are comparing yourself and why. knowing who you are and what you want can be very helpful to not judge yourself by the performance of others. in the bigger picture of things, it may not even matter.