Achieving success in today’s job market requires the courage to face your fears. For many people, including some of my clients, this can seem like a Herculean task given the very real role fear plays in our day-to-day lives. The “Fight or Flight” response is a safety mechanism that can also hold us back from our career goals. Fear can paralyze us from advancing toward our own version of professional utopia, but overcoming such fears in order to achieve job search success and career bliss is easier than you may think.

The Fear Factor
A vital and necessary response to physical and emotional danger, fear is crucial to our survival in the world, according to Psychology Today. Without fear, we might take unnecessary risks that could have disastrous consequences. The problem with fear is that it sometimes becomes a factor in our lives even when we aren’t really facing a true threat. The anxiety behind updating your resume, the stress of writing the perfect cover letter, or the angst of an interview can put you over the edge and create very real fears that threaten the success of your job search. Fear can damage your ability to perform well in an interview, hinder your ability to think clearly, and even throw a monkey wrench into your negotiating ability. Beyond all of this, fear can even discourage job seekers from pursuing their career goals temporarily or permanently—forcing them to settle for the unfulfilling status quo.

Fear of the “F” Word
One of the common fears I see among my clients during their job searches is the fear of failure. A debilitating challenge, the fear of failure can prevent even the strongest candidate from moving forward in his or her career search, whether that means a refusal to ask for a deserved promotion or sending out resumes to get a fresh start. “Failure on a logistical level can expose what feels like an inadequate, child-like, or vulnerable self,” said LPC and DCC Tina Gilbertson. We all recognize that without risk, there can be no reward, thus, overcoming a fear of failure is imperative to achieving success.

Facing Your Fear Head-On
Though there is a risk of failure in asking for a promotion, applying for a different job, or embarking on a new career path, the rewards of success and happiness are worth overcoming this fear. In order to do so, Gilbertson makes three recommendations. She advises writing down your personal thoughts about what makes you feel afraid, unworthy, or less capable than others. By simply writing down your fears, you accept them as part of who you are—and you can then take control of them. The second step involves picturing your fear as a child who needs reassurance and comfort. By personifying it, you can better understand where the fear is coming from so you can face it. The last tip is to take small steps toward your job search and career goals. Taking your search at your own pace and celebrating little victories along the way can build your self-confidence while allowing you to move ahead.

Rejection Phobia
Another common fear among people is the fear of rejection, according to author and Ph.D. John Amodeo. He points out that nature hardwired people to seek approval and belong for purposes of survival—thus it is only natural for us to feel anxious if there is a possibility of rejection by others. Your career and professional growth can be hindered by the anxiety and depression this fear creates if not kept under control. According to Amodeo, the best way to get past a fear of rejection is to recognize our self-criticisms and accept our reaction to rejection when it occurs. Through acceptance of our feelings when rejected, we can grieve our loss quickly, learn from it in order to heal, and move on with our lives. In other words, if you receive a rejection letter or don’t hear back from a potential employer, it’s good to acknowledge your feelings, but then keep applying elsewhere.

Fearing Personal Success
Another common fear, ironically enough, is the fear of success. This fear can be attributed to a variety of causes, according to Ph.D. Susanne Babbel. Success causes a quickening of the breath, an increase in heart rate, and sweating. These are the same physiological responses experienced during traumatic events. In other words, the excitement of success can cause anxiety for some people that feels quite similar to that caused by trauma. In addition, the threat of disappointment following success in achieving your goal (see Fear of the “F” Word) may also cause anxiety that unwittingly undermines your efforts toward advancing in your career. There are also those, particularly people who have been victims of verbal abuse, who don’t believe they deserve success because, be it consciously or subconsciously, they have accepted what they have been told. Then there are others who don’t like the idea of success for themselves because they dislike competition or the idea of pushing ahead of others.

Recognizing the Imposter
The inability for some people, particularly high achievers, to internalize success can cause a distinct fear of achievement known as “Imposter Syndrome.” This phobia is caused by a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud through success due to a lingering feeling you may not be good enough to complete the tasks your new position requires. Imposter Syndrome can reveal itself as a feeling of being in over your head, not meeting the expectations of others, or even being promoted beyond your abilities.

The Key to Enjoying Success
To truly embrace success and move past your fear of it, you must recognize this is a common fear. Share your concerns with those closest to you as this can alleviate anxiety and help you find the support you need to move forward in your career search. Avoid the temptation of pressuring yourself to perfection. A fear of success is fed by applying unrealistic standards and expectations about what constitutes competency. Be prepared to ask for help when you need it and accept that your best will be good enough. These tips will permit you to enjoy your hard-earned success and reestablish your confidence so you can complete the tasks in your new position with the utmost effectiveness.

Kicking Your Fear of Change
Though we recognize its inevitability, we humans are creatures of habit who often find ourselves afraid of change. A fear of change can rear its ugly mug whenever we are experiencing personal or professional growth or are taking measures to pursue our goals; and it can cause you to languish in an unfulfilling post. Acclimating to new situations can be difficult; it may induce anxiety, and is often downright nerve-wracking, but change also has positives such as promoting growth, creativity, and innovation. In order to advance in your career, you have to kick the fear of change to the curb.

Facing Change
To begin facing your fear of change, research your career options and examine the changes such options may create. By doing this, you are recognizing the potential risks and rewards, and you can prepare yourself for both. Tell yourself that if things don’t work out as you planned, things will still work out in the end. Putting your best foot forward and making an effort to achieve your career goals leaves you in no worse of a position than you are already in. You can also use these ideas for overcoming your fear:
 

1. Encourage Trust in Yourself and Take the Leap
2. Consider What Could Happen
3. Work Toward Your Goal, Knowing You Can Change Your Mind
4. Answer the Door When Opportunity Knocks
5. Use Your Best Effort in All You Do
6. Begin With Small Goals and Work Toward Larger Ones

A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss
One of the best ways to overcome your fears during your career search is to keep moving. By taking action—any action—you are maintaining control over your fears rather than them controlling you. Businessman, philanthropist, and author W. Clement Stone said, “Thinking will not overcome fear, but action will.” In a recent article for Science, David Jensen, a writer and speaker on career issues, wrote, “Action—almost any type—acts like a balm on your fear.” By repeatedly facing your fears over time, you will ease their ability to control you; so keep submitting resumes, completing applications, and attending networking events.

Carpe Diem
Fear has been said to be one of the greatest illusions in the world. With that, I encourage you to recognize that you have the ability to control your fears in every aspect of your life—including your job search. President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed this issue when he said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Seize the opportunities before you each day by embracing risk, change, and success while strengthening your resolve to achieve your personal best.

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You can also find me at Great Resumes Fast, where I help busy job seekers create interviewing-winning resumes, shorten their job searches, and increase their earning potential.