I know I can rock this job, now I just have to feel it.

August 17, 2010 3:10 PM

How can I ease the mental/emotional/logistical transition to a new full time job when I've been an underemployed freelancer for the last few years?

The job hunt was depressing and demoralizing, but I'm finally getting some bites and making progress on awesome, challenging positions that I could really grow in. But anxiety and impostor syndrome sometimes creep in as the process moves forward.

Any tips on preparing myself for the (big, good, slightly intimidating) process of my career getting back on track?

posted by mostlymartha to Work & Money (9 answers total)

Think about getting a paycheck, like clockwork, every two weeks (or every month, or whatever).
posted by kindall at 3:16 PM on August 17, 2010

It always helps me to think of the glee of having money automatically deposited to my bank account each fortnight. Without fail!
posted by kelegraph at 3:16 PM on August 17, 2010

Reading articles on being organized at work, dealing with challenges, changes, new people.

Getting yourself back on a daily schedule, perhaps "commuting" to the library to work on projects and things and be in the "work mode" schedule you'll be going back to. Projects can be things you like to do (writing, reading, researching, building (or writingout about it), or simple reviews of yourself, things you like, things you hope to get from some various positions intellectually, emotionally, and more. Just psyching yourself up for it generally.

Good luck.
posted by tilde at 3:17 PM on August 17, 2010

I have been through this a few times.

If you're like me, the first week is gonna kinda sorta suck. Don't plan a lot of social activities for those first few nights. Give yourself permission to come home and just curl up in the fetal position if necessary. Again, if you're like me, you may get the urge to quit because you think you just can't stand going back. Just tell yourself to give it two weeks and then reconsider. Unless it truly is a horrible job, you should feel better by then.
posted by drjimmy11 at 3:23 PM on August 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

I harbored the same concerns before starting my full time job in June, after nearly 9 months bumming around and freelancing. Definitely get yourself back into the sleeping routine and lifestyle that you anticipate for your full time employment.. Spend free time reading up on the industry and company you'll be working in. Brush up on computer, organization and communication skills (keyboard shortcuts or macro coding stuff you may not use in your day-to-day) that you may not use in your current day-to-date life.

Plan to start ambitiously and set a good standard for yourself, i.e. if you want to keep working out, get up extra early on Day 1 so you can fit in a workout, and have ample time to get dressed and prepare. If boss says get in at 8:30, get in at 8:15 the first day and from there evaluate what time your colleagues arrive (for me that turned out to be 7:30!). Go out to lunch if people invite you, ask questions, volunteer.

Ultimately, my worries were unfounded and you yours likely are too. You will be especially motivated to do well given your recent history, and as long as you relax and prepare, you'll be fine. Your co-workers understand it takes time to get adjusted, and whoever hired you did so knowing your previous situation and thus even if it does take you some time to ramp up, should have anticipated this.

Best of luck.
posted by keasby at 3:30 PM on August 17, 2010

I've been in your position. Confidence builds up slowly but steadily. Starting any job is difficult. It takes a long time to learn everything you need to learn. But coming from under-employment, there's a great payoff, that comes pretty quickly, in your self-image. You can answer the question 'what do you do?' without any negative feelings.

The length of the 9-to-5 workday might be hard to get used to at first. You can break it up by saying to yourself, okay I'll stay sitting at my desk for the next 2 hours and then I'll get up and have a snack or take a walk around the block, and so on. You could pack some vegetables or yogurt for yourself to serve as your snack during these breaks.

Finally, don't be scared. Just do your best and learn slowly but steadily. If you don't understand something, don't panic, just try to make some progress towards understanding until you do. Don't let anyone make you feel badly (the only people who are likely to do so, by the way, are the ones who are most insecure about their own abilities).
posted by Paquda at 3:36 PM on August 17, 2010

Good advice so far. All I would add is this: stop thinking about the "imposter syndrome" right now.

Really. Stop it.

I have worked closely with professional women for nearly 20 years. As you might imagine, being a guy, for my career health, I am slow to generalize about women's traits versus men's. But one thing I am totally and completely sure of: women are much more reluctant than men are to blow their own horn.

Buck up. Think about all the positive qualities you bring to a position in your field. Think about your accomplishments. Think about how what you know and have learned will translate into value for your employer.

And then tell them that.



Good luck to you!
posted by Short Attention Sp at 4:37 PM on August 17, 2010 [2 favorites]

Any new job will take at least two weeks and more realistically two months before you really start getting comfortable. Everyone knows this, including your employer. Nobody expects someone to just automatically understand everything right away. Nobody good at their job, anyway, would expect so much of someone right from Day 1.

Things always seem worse in your own head. Don't sweat it, you'll get it. Or you won't, and you'll get a few paychecks out of it before they find out. Either way, you're good.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:10 PM on August 17, 2010

I freelanced for almost 3 years before going back to work in an office. The biggest shift for me was not having to think about / do work every. waking. hour. Using work hours to concentrate fully on work without having to worry about scrambling for the next lead, or maybe ebay a few possessions to make sure bills didn't fall behind... that was weird. So was being effectively able to put work aside at 6pm and not resume it again til 9am the next day.

So in short, give yourself permission again to think about work when it's work time, and then think about yourself when you get home.
posted by Wossname at 5:13 PM on August 17, 2010