Doing what scares you in your career

Boo! Did I scare you? Didn’t think so. If only our career fears were that easy to dispel. There are so many things to worry about in our work lives, it’s hard to count them all. Getting fired or laid off, losing clients, being demoted, getting overwhelmed and missing deadlines, actually causing harm to someone … I’ve probably hit at least one of your fears by now, but feel free to fill in if I haven’t.

Here’s the thing: There are a lot of things in our work lives and a lot of outcomes we really can’t control. We can take precautions, and we can create safety nets, but we really can’t control actions that others take or situations that just pop up out of nowhere. So, despite your best efforts, of course you might get fired or laid off or demoted or whatever else is on that big fear list.

Today, in honor of Halloween, I propose a focus on the scary things that you can control when it comes to your career. Following are just a few of the items that clients have told me they find scary, along with tips that might help make them a bit easier to conquer.

Job search frights

Cold calls. How could this not top the list? Calling anyone you don’t know can be difficult but when you’re about to ask for a meeting or help with networking, or for information about a job opening — it’s enough to send chills down anyone’s spine. Top tips include scripting the call, sending an email first so you can count the call as a second (and not so cold) contact, and making the calls first thing in the morning so you can’t stew over them all day.

Group networking sessions. The idea of spending an hour or more talking with strangers about the need for job leads is more than some people can bear to think about. Extrovert or not, it’s scary not to know anyone in a room full of people. Top tips? Don’t go alone and you’ll know at least one person. Make a game of the meeting, challenging yourself to come away with five contacts. Choose meetings with a clear agenda or a speaker so you won’t have to focus on making conversation the whole time.

Things that go bump on the job

Asking for a raise. Some people would rather chaperone the Zombie Prom than ask for a bump in pay. Top tips for this scary task? Practice the “ask” with a friend, build your list of achievements in the job, and motivate yourself by running the numbers: How much will you lose in two years if you don’t ask for more pay now?

Handling a conflict.

If there were a ghost of a chance that this conflict would go away, wouldn’t it have done so by now? Problems with co-workers, managers, or those who report to you — the “who” doesn’t matter if the issue is taking a toll on you. Top tips include getting perspective from an outside advisor, making a stair-step plan with small actions that might resolve the issue, and revisiting your commitment to this particular role or employer.

Devilish career dilemmas

Changing careers. What should be nothing but treats can seem like a trick when you weigh the ups and downs of changing careers from a fearful mindset. Worse, some people know for years that their current career is a cadaver, but they’re scared to call the coroner and move on. Top tips for overcoming this dilemma? Challenge negative assumptions, talk with others who have made a change, seek guidance to organize the steps, and play “what if ”: What if you do make the change? What if you don’t? Which scenario do you like better?

Retiring or stopping out of a career. As many people discover, not going to work can be just as difficult as going to work. It’s not just the finances of the situation – although that’s enough to drain anyone’s blood – but the loss of identity and belonging that can haunt you. Top tips? Before you give up your nest of vampires, try a practice timeout in the form of a longer-than-usual vacation. Or, try ramping down by cutting back on hours or duties before making the full cut. Or ask for a leave of absence or sabbatical while you make the bigger decisions about if or when or how to return to work.

And that, my little ghoulies is that. A list of fears that can be managed, so you can save your energy for the really spooky things, like … bwa-ha-haha … your list will be scarier than anything I can come up with!