Anxiety and concerns before joining a company, aptitude discovered after employment, and examples of success

It is natural to feel vague anxiety before joining a company. Anxiety about adapting to a new environment or role, and concerns about whether you can meet expectations, are among the various factors that trigger such feelings. I have summarized specific methods below for facing and overcoming this anxiety. By objectively observing your state of mind, preparing appropriately, and responding flexibly, you will be able to overcome your anxiety.

### 1. **Identify the cause of your anxiety**
- **Write down what you are feeling anxious about**: First, try writing down on paper exactly what you are feeling anxious about. By specifically listing anxiety factors such as "I don't know the job content," "I'm worried about whether interpersonal relationships will go well," or "I'm worried about whether I can fit into the environment," it becomes easier to organize your vague anxiety.
- **Separate what you can control from what you cannot**: Once you have organized your anxiety, think about whether it is under your control. Take concrete actions for the parts you can control (for example, studying or preparing in advance), and try not to worry excessively about the parts you cannot control (for example, the reactions of those around you or the company culture).

### 2. **Make preparations in advance**
- **Research the company and job content**: Deepen your understanding of the company and job content by checking the company's website, internal materials, and industry information in advance. Gathering information and preparing is effective for reducing vague anxiety about a new environment or work.
- **Review skills related to the work**: Think about what kind of skills will be required in your new job, and polishing those related skills will give you a little more confidence. For example, if you are in a sales position, learn the basics of sales talk and product knowledge.

### 3. **Share your anxiety with others**
- **Consult with someone you trust**: Try sharing your anxiety by consulting with family, friends, or seniors who have had similar experiences in the past. Talking about it not only makes you feel lighter, but you may also receive genuinely useful advice.
- **Consult with a mentor or supervisor**: Even before joining the company, you can resolve questions and anxieties in advance by contacting the company's HR representative or your future supervisor. For example, by asking questions like, "Could you tell me about the training content after joining?", you will get a more concrete image, which will ease your anxiety.

### 4. **Strive for self-care**
- **Have time to relax**: It is important to secure time to relax when your anxiety is high. Engage in activities where you can relax, such as walking, reading, or meditation, to balance your mind and body.
- **Get enough rest**: When anxiety is strong, your sleep may become shallow or you may become prone to fatigue. It is also important to get plenty of rest and maintain your health before joining the company.

### 5. **Change your mindset**
- **View anxiety as an opportunity for growth**: Feeling anxious is proof that you are facing a new challenge. You can view this as an "opportunity for growth" and convert your anxiety into something positive. By thinking, "I'm anxious now, but I can grow by overcoming this," you can maintain a positive mindset.
- **Do not be overly bound by expectations**: Do not have excessive expectations for yourself, and try not to aim for perfection from the start. In a new environment, everyone learns and grows at first. It is important to think of "failure as part of learning" and maintain an attitude of being able to respond flexibly.

### 6. **Create an action plan**
- **Set small goals**: Create a concrete action plan for after you join the company and set small goals from the first day. For example, having realistic goals such as "build a good relationship with my supervisor in the first week" or "learn something new every day, even if it's just a little" will reduce anxiety.

◯ Will I be able to fit into the company culture?
To determine the compatibility between the company culture and yourself, it is important to check the following points and judge whether it matches your values and work style.

### 1. **Understanding the company culture**
- **Observation and information gathering**: Observe the atmosphere of the company and how employees communicate with each other during interviews, orientations, and the training period after joining. In particular, check how supervisors and senior employees behave.
- **Questions during the interview**: Ask about the company's values and culture during the interview. By asking questions like, "What traits are required to succeed in this company?" or "What kind of company culture is it?", you can learn the company's perspective.
- **State of company events**: By seeing how drinking parties, lunch meetings, and company events are held, you can understand the distance between employees and their communication style. It is also a point to check whether the company holds frequent internal events or values private time.

### 2. **Consistency with your own values**
- **Work style**: Think about whether you are better at working with autonomy or whether you value cooperation with supervisors and colleagues. Determine which style the company values and evaluate whether it matches your work style.
- **Communication method**: Check if the communication style with supervisors and colleagues suits you. Think about whether it matches your style, such as whether you prefer an environment where open exchange of opinions is possible or whether you prefer formal communication.
- **Work-life balance**: Check how much the company values work-life balance. If you value your private time, whether the company emphasizes that point is also a criterion for determining compatibility.

### 3. **Receiving feedback**
- **Feedback from seniors and supervisors**: The content and quality of feedback you receive after joining are also important. Determine if it is an environment where constructive advice and support can be obtained and if it is positive for your growth.
- **Comparison with self-evaluation**: Compare the feedback you feel at the company with the feedback you get from those around you to check if your strengths and areas for improvement match the company's evaluation criteria.

### 4. **Presence of stress**
- **Daily stress level**: Observe whether you are feeling excessive stress due to the way you work or interpersonal relationships within the company. If it is an environment where you can work naturally, there is a high possibility that it matches the company culture.
- **Maintaining motivation**: Whether you feel a sense of purpose and accomplishment after joining, and whether you can maintain your motivation for daily work, are also points for judging compatibility.

### 5. **Flexible response**
- **Effort to fit into the company culture**: Consider how flexibly you can adapt to the company. If there is room to respond flexibly even if there are some differences, compatibility with the company culture will naturally increase.


◯ When you feel that the company culture does not suit you after starting work
When you start working and feel that the company culture does not suit you, you might think about "enduring it," "watching the situation a little longer," or "changing jobs quickly." Each choice comes with different risks and points to note. I have summarized the points to note for each below.
The most important thing is to analyze the situation calmly without losing sight of your own values and goals. Also, consulting with family or trusted people and incorporating objective opinions will be good material for making a decision.


### 1. **Enduring it**
- **Points to note**
- **Impact on mental health**: Enduring an unsuitable company culture for a long period can lead to accumulated stress and have a negative impact on your mental health. If you force yourself to endure, there is a risk of leading to burnout or physical and mental illness.
- **Limitation of your growth opportunities**: If you focus too much on enduring, you will miss out on your own growth and career possibilities. Work may become just something painful, and your motivation may decrease, which may lead to you being unable to demonstrate your original potential.
- **Trust relationship with the company**: It is necessary to maintain relationships with the company and colleagues while enduring. If what you are enduring shows in your attitude or behavior, there is a risk that trust in the workplace will be damaged.

- **Advice**
- It is important to calmly determine your own limits and the benefits you can gain by enduring. Also, during the period of enduring, consider consulting with your supervisor or HR representative about your situation and seeking advice or support to adapt to the company culture.

### 2. **Watching the situation a little longer**
- **Points to note**
- **Determining the timing**: If the period of watching the situation drags on, dissatisfaction may accumulate, and it may become difficult to get out. Also, you should avoid making hasty judgments in the initial stage after joining because you are not used to the environment, but if you watch for too long, you may miss the timing for changing jobs.
- **Validity of expectations for change**: Expecting the company culture or interpersonal relationships to change is a risk. You need to calmly determine whether the situation will really change by waiting or if the current state will continue.
- **Impact on your career**: While watching the situation, there is a possibility of losing career stagnation or growth opportunities. If the mismatch in company culture hinders skill improvement or career advancement, it may eventually affect your future.

- **Advice**
- Decide on the period for watching the situation in advance and observe whether there are any changes in the company culture or environment within that period. Also, it is important to try methods that can actively improve the situation during that period. For example, it is effective to take all possible improvement measures, such as consulting with your supervisor about job content or department transfers.

### 3. **Changing jobs quickly**
- **Points to note**
- **Evaluation of job change risk**: Changing jobs is a challenge to a new environment, but there is a possibility that the company culture will not suit you at the new workplace either. If you do not sufficiently investigate the culture and workplace environment of the new company, the risk of facing the same problem again increases.
- **Impact on your resume**: If you continue to change jobs in a short period, the hiring side may see you as "lacking stability." Therefore, it is important to clarify the reason for changing jobs and how you want to build a long-term career at the new workplace.
- **Plan for finding the next job**: It may take time until the next workplace is decided, and you need to consider your income and stability of life during that time. If you decide to change jobs in a hurry, there is a risk of failing in choosing the next workplace as well.

- **Advice**
- Before thinking about changing jobs, it is better to try all possible improvement measures at your current workplace, and if you still cannot solve it, proceed with preparations for changing jobs. Also, when looking for a new job, it is important to carefully check whether the company culture and values of that company suit you through interviews and research.


◯ Actions to take when you feel that the work burden is heavy after starting work
When you feel that the burden is heavy and you lack confidence, it takes courage to convey that feeling to your supervisor or colleagues, but by taking appropriate communication, it is possible to receive support or improve the situation. Refer to the following methods and grasp the points for conveying it well.

### 1. **Gauge the timing**
- **Talk in a calm situation**: Avoid busy times or tense moments and choose a time when you can talk calmly. For example, look for a timing when you can talk slowly, such as a regular meeting with your supervisor or after work.

### 2. **Convey frankly and sincerely**
- **Express your feelings honestly**: Honestly convey the pressure or anxiety you are feeling. For example, a simple way of saying it like, "I feel a bit of a burden with my current work, and there are parts I cannot proceed with confidence," is effective.
- **Do not blame yourself**: When conveying that you lack confidence, there is no need to blame yourself excessively. Instead of taking it negatively as "I can't do it," focus on talking about how you can solve the challenges you are currently facing.

### 3. **Explain concrete challenges**
- **Convey specifically what is becoming a burden**: For example, instead of vague expressions like "the workload is large and I don't have enough time," explain the concrete situation like, "I feel that the progress of this project is difficult, and I am having trouble especially with the XX part." This makes it easier for supervisors and colleagues to provide concrete support and advice.

### 4. **Propose solutions**
- **Present your own solutions**: Instead of just conveying that you lack confidence, propose your own ideas like "wouldn't it be improved if I did this?" For example, make proposals like "it would be helpful if I could get support for the XX part" or "I want to adjust the priority so that I can concentrate on XX."
- **Request training or resources**: If necessary, requesting additional training or resources is also one solution. By conveying "I feel that my XX skills are insufficient, so I want to receive training," you might be able to work with confidence.

### 5. **Seek support**
- **Seek support from the team or supervisor**: It is also important not to hold it all by yourself but to ask others for support. Honestly request support by saying, "I feel that this task is difficult at this stage, so I would be grateful if you could help me."
- **Promote cooperation with colleagues**: By asking for help from specific people, such as "I lack a little confidence in this part, so if possible, I would like XX-san to help me," you can expect a smooth response.

### 6. **Maintain a positive attitude**
- **Show willingness to grow**: Even when conveying that you lack confidence, it is important to maintain a positive attitude. By showing a willingness to grow, such as "I feel a burden at present, but if I can get support, I want to further improve my skills," you give a positive impression.
- **Propose flexible responses**: Even if the current burden is heavy, think about whether there are parts that can be responded to flexibly, and positive proposals like "I want to try other ways for this part" are also effective.

### 7. **Accept feedback**
- **Listen to advice from supervisors and colleagues**: After conveying your challenges, it is also important to have an attitude of actively accepting feedback and advice from supervisors and colleagues. This strengthens the relationship of trust and makes it easier to receive support next time as well.

◯ Concrete examples of people who blended into the company well
To blend into a company, elements such as communication, flexibility, self-growth, and teamwork are important. An attitude of adapting to the company's culture and values while utilizing your own strengths leads to success and adaptation in the workplace.

### 1. **People who valued active communication**
- **Example**: Person A started communicating actively on their own immediately after joining the company. To understand the atmosphere of the workplace, they effectively used lunch and break times with colleagues and continued to have an attitude of listening well to the other person's story. Also, they regularly sought progress reports and feedback from their supervisor to deepen mutual understanding. As a result, they built a relationship of trust with workplace colleagues at an early stage and were able to blend in as a member of the team.

### 2. **People who brought their own personality while respecting the company culture**
- **Example**: When Person B joined a new workplace, they first tried to understand the company's culture and values. Instead of pushing their own ideas, they showed an attitude of first learning and respecting the company's way of doing things. On the other hand, they gradually expressed their own strengths and ideas and brought new perspectives to the workplace by making proposals for work improvement. Through this balanced approach, Person B was recognized as a member of the workplace, and at the same time, their own value was highly evaluated.

### 3. **People who gained trust through work results**
- **Example**: When Person C tackled their first work, they first focused on pouring all their effort into the assigned task and reliably producing results. They showed an attitude of asking questions to supervisors and colleagues early and dealing with problems quickly if they occurred. Also, they built trust by being particular about the quality of work and meeting deadlines. Their results were recognized, and they gradually came to participate in larger projects, and as a result, they increased their presence in the workplace.

### 4. **People who adapted flexibly and accepted change**
- **Example**: What Person D was surprised by first at the new workplace was the difference from the workplace culture they had experienced so far. However, Person D immediately made their own thinking flexible and tried to adapt to the surroundings. For example, to get used to interacting with colleagues with different communication styles, they learned their styles and adjusted their own approach. Also, by working positively on the company's new policies and systems and showing an attitude of accepting change, they naturally blended into the workplace.

### 5. **People who contributed as a team player**
- **Example**: After joining the company, Person E first clarified their own role and thought about how they could contribute to achieving the team's goals. As a member of the team, they actively supported other members and reached out to colleagues who were in trouble. Also, in team meetings, they continued to have an attitude of respecting the opinions of other members while appropriately stating their own opinions. As a result, Person E was recognized as an indispensable existence for the team and was able to naturally blend into the workplace.

### 6. **People who actively participated in company events and activities**
- **Example**: Person F actively participated not only in work but also in events and activities held within the company. For example, they deepened exchanges with colleagues in scenes other than work through opportunities such as company drinking parties, lunch meetings, and volunteer activities. Through participation in such activities, Person F strengthened relationships with colleagues and came to be recognized as a member of the workplace. Also, through these activities, they were able to understand the company's culture and values more deeply.

### 7. **People who grew by utilizing feedback**
- **Example**: Person G regularly received feedback from their supervisor, took it sincerely, and tried to improve. They viewed feedback as a chance for growth and improved their skills in a short period by moving to concrete actions. That attitude was evaluated, and they gained the trust of colleagues and supervisors, and were able to naturally blend into the workplace.

◯ When you feel that you can demonstrate more of your ability,
how do you act?
To effectively convey your motivation to the company or supervisor, a concrete approach is important. Please try referring to the following methods. By combining these methods and conveying your motivation constructively and positively, it becomes easier for your supervisor or company to provide opportunities for you to utilize your ability to the maximum.

### 1. **Convey your motivation clearly**
- **Convey in a positive way**: For example, convey your motivation with positive expressions such as, "I learned many things through my current work, but I feel that I can contribute more by tackling more challenging projects."
- **Think about the timing**: If you convey it at a timing when results have been produced, such as after an important project is completed or during an evaluation interview, the persuasiveness increases.

### 2. **Make concrete proposals**
- **Propose new tasks or projects that can utilize your strengths**: For example, make a concrete proposal by saying, "I think I can utilize my skills and contribute further to the team by participating in the XX project."
- **Look back on past achievements**: If you cite concrete examples based on achievements so far, such as "I want to take on a larger role based on the results achieved in the past XX project," it becomes easier for the supervisor to be convinced.

### 3. **Seek feedback**
- **Comparison of self-evaluation and other-evaluation**: Seek feedback on your current status from your supervisor or colleagues and check if it matches your evaluation. Showing an attitude of thinking about "how I can further demonstrate my skills" based on feedback is also effective.
- **Share career goals**: Share long-term goals with your supervisor and consult about how you want to grow toward those goals. If you convey, "I want to participate in projects where I can grow further, thinking about my future career plan," it gives a positive impression.

### 4. **Take a flexible approach**
- **Show an attitude of cooperation**: Emphasize a cooperative attitude to your supervisor by saying, "I think the efficiency of the entire team will increase if I demonstrate my ability in the XX project."
- **Propose solutions**: If there is new work or a project you want to be in charge of, it is also effective to present an adjustment plan for your current work in order to take on that work.

### 5. **Continue positive communication**
- **Value open dialogue**: Regularly talk with your supervisor about goals and progress, and continue positive communication. This makes it easier for your motivation for growth to be conveyed.