The Student Room Group

Getting a job with social anxiety?

Hi
Thx for reading this :smile:
Basically, I'm 16 years old, and due to the competition for places at university, the time has come for me to get a job. I have been searching for jobs for about half a year now (17 in 2 weeks, so not underaged to be employed). I also have social anxiety disorder
About a month ago I got a job offer at a hotel as a laundry collector one day a week. I was so happy. I finally had a job. No longer was I the "layabout" of the family. After about 2 weeks training I had my first shift on my own. Let's just say it was awful, I could'nt face it again and so I quit. I hate the fact that I quit but I don't regret it.....
I knew I had social anxiety since before my first job and that is why I quit, not just because everything went wrong on my first day ( who doesn' get it wrong on their first day right?)
So again I am back to square one- looking for a job. I can't work in large supermarkets or large resturants because of my s.a. I have put my CV in a few small local shops over about a period of six months but no one has come back to me.
Basically, my s.a is preventing me from getting a job - I want one but I feel I am being too picky with where I drop off my CV. I know many will say to face your fear but I physically can't do it- it would end up like my first job.
There is a local charity shop which I want to volunteer at but I need the money so I feel as if that is not an option until I have a paid job. The reason I want to volunteer is because I want to work in the charity sector when I am older, so it would be good experience :smile:
So what should I do- would love to hear from anyone with S.A- what kind of jobs would suit me, and what were your experiences like?
Thanks :smile:
Posting on here http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/ may get you more relevant and appropiate advice, alot of guys on there have experienced similar things, check it out.
Original post by forest3261
Hi
Thx for reading this :smile:
Basically, I'm 16 years old, and due to the competition for places at university, the time has come for me to get a job. I have been searching for jobs for about half a year now (17 in 2 weeks, so not underaged to be employed). I also have social anxiety disorder
About a month ago I got a job offer at a hotel as a laundry collector one day a week. I was so happy. I finally had a job. No longer was I the "layabout" of the family. After about 2 weeks training I had my first shift on my own. Let's just say it was awful, I could'nt face it again and so I quit. I hate the fact that I quit but I don't regret it.....
I knew I had social anxiety since before my first job and that is why I quit, not just because everything went wrong on my first day ( who doesn' get it wrong on their first day right?)
So again I am back to square one- looking for a job. I can't work in large supermarkets or large resturants because of my s.a. I have put my CV in a few small local shops over about a period of six months but no one has come back to me.
Basically, my s.a is preventing me from getting a job - I want one but I feel I am being too picky with where I drop off my CV. I know many will say to face your fear but I physically can't do it- it would end up like my first job.
There is a local charity shop which I want to volunteer at but I need the money so I feel as if that is not an option until I have a paid job. The reason I want to volunteer is because I want to work in the charity sector when I am older, so it would be good experience :smile:
So what should I do- would love to hear from anyone with S.A- what kind of jobs would suit me, and what were your experiences like?
Thanks :smile:


i understand you i haven't got you problem but i'm very shy and inconfident ..... you saying you CAN'T is already putting a barrier between the most likelyhood that you would be able too if you tried you really have to believe.

forcing yourselves into situations you are terrified off and sticking too it when everything is going wrong will help you. i've done it

i worked as a cashier and i never thought i could do it. it gave me more confidence.

on the other hand i don't know if this wil affect your studies but i'm at uni and for a couple of months i worked overnights in a supermarket. you basically work on your own and your get paid lots.

so for uni you could do this for a couple months then sack it in once you have enough money.

i'm telling you to face this now because i'm in this situation now that i've finished uni and have to find a graduate job. interecting with people and other social aspects are holding me back when i know i'm fully capable of doing the job.and i haven't got anything yet. you wouldn't want his after you spent all your time at uni so try

hope that made a bit of sense
Reply 3
Work in an office?
Reply 4
Original post by forest3261
Hi
Thx for reading this :smile:
Basically, I'm 16 years old, and due to the competition for places at university, the time has come for me to get a job. I have been searching for jobs for about half a year now (17 in 2 weeks, so not underaged to be employed). I also have social anxiety disorder
About a month ago I got a job offer at a hotel as a laundry collector one day a week. I was so happy. I finally had a job. No longer was I the "layabout" of the family. After about 2 weeks training I had my first shift on my own. Let's just say it was awful, I could'nt face it again and so I quit. I hate the fact that I quit but I don't regret it.....
I knew I had social anxiety since before my first job and that is why I quit, not just because everything went wrong on my first day ( who doesn' get it wrong on their first day right?)
So again I am back to square one- looking for a job. I can't work in large supermarkets or large resturants because of my s.a. I have put my CV in a few small local shops over about a period of six months but no one has come back to me.
Basically, my s.a is preventing me from getting a job - I want one but I feel I am being too picky with where I drop off my CV. I know many will say to face your fear but I physically can't do it- it would end up like my first job.
There is a local charity shop which I want to volunteer at but I need the money so I feel as if that is not an option until I have a paid job. The reason I want to volunteer is because I want to work in the charity sector when I am older, so it would be good experience :smile:
So what should I do- would love to hear from anyone with S.A- what kind of jobs would suit me, and what were your experiences like?
Thanks :smile:



TL:biggrin:R but jobs will make you more confident.
Maybe you should look into getting counselling or some sort of professional help for your social anxiety? That way, you become a better and more confident person, and you also won't have that barrier anymore. Because it is hard enough for many people to find work in this tough job market, without having the stress of another problem that will hold you back even further. Just a suggestion :smile:
Reply 6
Realistically, you won't find many jobs that don't require you to socialise at all, especially not in charity work. Just stop worrying what people think about you.
Reply 7
I was in a similar situation to you. I never went to a doctor to get diagnosed with SA as I refused to accept I had it, but I always knew I was extremely shy (i mean really, really shy.)

I would suggest you get a job in a call centre. Its not perfect, but the only people you need to interact face to face with are your manager and a few team members. This helped me because by starting off with just interacting with a few colleagues, your confidence grows. I now work in a large supermarket and am totally fine dealing with customers face to face etc.

I would suggest you get a job in a call centre, but dont rely on it for a long time because sooner or later you just have to give yourself that final push which is completely worth it.
Reply 8
Original post by No.1 Loner
Posting on here http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/ may get you more relevant and appropiate advice, alot of guys on there have experienced similar things, check it out.


Thanks for linking this man :smile::smile::smile:
Reply 9
You quit after one shift on your own :/ You need to persevere if you want to get anywhere.
Reply 10
Original post by lukas1051
Realistically, you won't find many jobs that don't require you to socialise at all, especially not in charity work. Just stop worrying what people think about you.

I know what your getting at but S.A is so much more than worrying about what people think about you. It’s hard to even go outside sometimes, think of it this way imagine having a fire wall inside of your head stopping you from doing something you want to do. Something that’s not a big deal for someone else may feel absolutely terrified to do it for example, I had to enrol myself at college last year and my mum offered to drive me to the station and I was feeling really anxious it made me feel physically sick I threw up because of my anxiety. There’s this expression that until you’ve walked a mile in someone else’s shoes you will never know what they go through.
Original post by forest3261
Hi
Thx for reading this :smile:
Basically, I'm 16 years old, and due to the competition for places at university, the time has come for me to get a job. I have been searching for jobs for about half a year now (17 in 2 weeks, so not underaged to be employed). I also have social anxiety disorder
About a month ago I got a job offer at a hotel as a laundry collector one day a week. I was so happy. I finally had a job. No longer was I the "layabout" of the family. After about 2 weeks training I had my first shift on my own. Let's just say it was awful, I could'nt face it again and so I quit. I hate the fact that I quit but I don't regret it.....
I knew I had social anxiety since before my first job and that is why I quit, not just because everything went wrong on my first day ( who doesn' get it wrong on their first day right?)
So again I am back to square one- looking for a job. I can't work in large supermarkets or large resturants because of my s.a. I have put my CV in a few small local shops over about a period of six months but no one has come back to me.
Basically, my s.a is preventing me from getting a job - I want one but I feel I am being too picky with where I drop off my CV. I know many will say to face your fear but I physically can't do it- it would end up like my first job.
There is a local charity shop which I want to volunteer at but I need the money so I feel as if that is not an option until I have a paid job. The reason I want to volunteer is because I want to work in the charity sector when I am older, so it would be good experience :smile:
So what should I do- would love to hear from anyone with S.A- what kind of jobs would suit me, and what were your experiences like?
Thanks :smile:


Hope this helps:

1) Relax, imagine you're just observing or there as a traveller. For example, if you are on holiday, you go there to experience and observe the attraction, you're not going to get anxious doing that are you?

2) Smile, smiling in contagious.

3) Be confident, respect yourself, accept yourself, work out, wear good clothes, feel good, focus on your passions, know you are a good person who treats people well, you have got as much right as everyone else.

Think positively, be proud of yourself, do things that make you happy, remember your happy times, what makes you confident? What makes you proud? Do you have a skill you are good at? Do things like cooking, driving, learning that increases your confidence daily. Relax.

Have good posture, body language, improve your appearance. Be happy with yourself.

4) Dress well, have good grooming, hairstyle, have good posture.

5) Just say hi or hey to people in your vicinity, who cares if they don't say anything back?

6) Ask how they are, how's everything, what's the latest, what made them choose this course, their plans for the future, their plans for the rest of the day, weekend, how was their weekend, what they will get up to, what they got up to, ask them about their hobbies, talk about what's happening.

Talk about the weather or did you see that sports game? Just mingle with them,

Compliment them, say "I like your jacket".

If you know they went on a holiday or somewhere, ask them about it etc.

7) Be passionate about life.

9) Lighten up, have a laugh, laugh easily, be friendly, approachable, interested, relaxed.

Hope this helps!
This thread was 7 years old 😐 why do ppl keep bumping old threads how do they even find them
What I reccomend for jobs is an environment where you aren't always worried about what your colleagues are thinking about you, a job where you are mostly independent and just simply required to get the job done instead of impressing your colleagues. Seems strange but actually a job at a fast food restaurant may actually be good because alot of the tasks arent difficult at all, hours are mostly unsociable with only small talk alot of the times as you are be pretty busy, if your anxiety is mostly around being social this would help you. Evening shifts where you finish late and there's not alot of people around can also help. If your social anxiety is where you just don't really like socialising, talking to people in your job is nerve wracking at first but when you remember that you are simply doing a job and not trying to make friends with anyone its easier, but I'm not sure what to recommend if you don't like crowds of people.

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