To ask if you’ve ever taken a job you weren’t confident about being able to do…?

[Redskyatnight01]

And if so, did it work out? Were there teething problems?

I might be offered a job. However, it is a daunting prospect because the majority of it I haven’t ever done before (they are aware of this) and there is an awful lot of maths involved…Maths has never been my strong point!!

If I were to be successful in it though, it has really good career prospects and the salary is very good. I’m just concerned I’ll get in there and not have a clue, struggle to grasp duties required and get sacked :cries: It is a very busy, fast paced role and there is no time for stragglers or for people to carry me really (not that I’d want anyone to be carrying me!)

A part of me says if I’m not confident about being able to do it, I really should just walk away now…the other part of me says if I never push myself I’ll never really know what I’m capable of.

My brother took on a job (in IT) about 5 years ago. He looked good on paper though wasn't familiar with everything on the job spec--which he was very honest about. It was a coding job in a language he had told them he didn't know well. It was awful-they expected him to 'hit the ground running' and were very dismissive when he asked them for clarification. He hated every day he spent there and felt like he was drowning. They sacked him after 6 months, conveniently forgetting that he'd been quite clear about his skill set. It massively knocked his confidence.

Not trying to be pointlessly negative, but just make sure everyone is clear about what you can/can't do before you start the role.

If you get the role, they obviously think you can cope. I would swot on excel and swot on the legislation and hit the ground running.

Every job I've ever been offered (I never get the ones where I actually fit and exceed the JD...) - not even imposter syndrome (though I have that too), just a fact.

The key is to attack it with gusto, ask for help if you find you actually need it, and fake confidence until you realise you can do your role, and develop it for real.

Good Luck!

Congratulations!

Go get that excel course.

Suggested studying music:

Start my new job tomorrow.....I am so nervous I hope I've done the right thing! I just don't want to look stupid!

Don't be afraid of what may go wrong, and start being excited about what could go right.

I will be in exactly the same boat as you in two weeks. Terrified!!

Yes, current job. I had almost zero knowledge of the specific area of work. I had resigned from previous job a few weeks before and had had plenty time to Google some of the terms used in the job spec and it came across well in the interview.

I admitted to my boss after a year that my first few months in post had been a total learning curve. He was very surprised!

Go for it OP.

Good luck!

Good luck, you'll do just fine! And well done for grabbing your chance!

Good luck you will be fine.

I was offered a job like that but I ended up doing something very different. Which I'm competent at, is low stress and easily productive, but it's too easy, boring, I'd rather do maths!!
Rather of OP if she really gets to do lots of data crunching.

Good luck, update again in a few weeks and let us know how you are getting on.

Good luck! Sure you've done the right thing. "Say yes and figure it out afterwards" - have fun figuring it out! www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/12/tina-fey-30-rock-star-success_n_2458102.html

Good luck, and remember - the only stupid question is the one you don't ask.

Yes all the time but its a challenge and i have colleagues to call on (important bit) and tbh its why i love my job. Never know what the general public will give me sort out. 99.9% i can now sort due to experience, training etc but that 1% is the reason i do the job. Ive had patients return from flowers and chocolate after ive sorted something different out and helped people in directly and directly by questioning things. Go for it op if you brave as you learn an awful lot. Well done on your new job x

I once jokingly told my boss, during an appraisal discussion about future career progression, that the only job I was interested in was a fairly senior, public-facing (as in: expected to represent the company at press conferences and do TV and radio) role then occupied by someone with a decade-plus management experience in the company.

Three months later, following a company reorganisation and a promotion for the person occupying the post, I was offered the job . Terrified doesn't even begin to describe it, and 25 years later I am still astonished that they offered it to a relatively new graduate with only a couple of years' experience in a fairly junior post.

All worked out fine though ... and it certainly taught me that if you don't ask you don't get.

Post on here if you have any Excel queries!!

Hope it's going ok! I vaguely remember learning on a management course that everyone goes through learning stages - unconsciously incompetent (eg before you learn how to drive), consciously incompetent (while you're learning and you realise you can't do it yet), consciously competent (just passed your test) and unconsciously competent (can drive without even thinking about it). So they are stages everyone goes through.
I've also just read a book on NLP by Richard Bandler - How to Take Charge of Your Life. Some bits are a bit odd, but there's a good section on how negative beliefs can impact on our success more than ability.

Thank you guys!

First day done- I am absolutely exhausted, today was a BIG learning curve!! I managed to muddle through though with only one, small error the first time I attempted something so not too bad all in all. People were lovely.

These next 2 weeks are going to be very telling but if I can get through them then I think I will be okay. Time will tell I guess!

I will keep you all updated, thank you for the well wishes, it really helped buoy me up this morning!