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I'm contemplating applying for a public job...
...to try to "tame" my crippling anxiety in a way. I m 1000% against filing for any disability, no matter how horrid and unbearable my anxiety is. I despise the very thought of *not* working, so disability is not a potential option.
I am seriously thinking of applying at Cato, the clothing store. But I m TERRIFIED of dealing with money in any way. How can I overcome this horrendous fear? I ve never worked in the public before, only in a factory for a brief period, so does anyone have any advice on working in a clothing store or just in general public?
Thank you so much!
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Maybe give some free advice about: Mental health?
Honestly, I completely understand where you are coming from. I have terrible social anxiety. I remember when I wanted to be a pharmacy tech in retail really bad. The only problem was that I was scared to death. I applied anyway, because applying for the job is the easy part. After I found out I got the job I was so excited! Well..... until I got there. I had no clue what I was doing at first so I had to learn. There were times when I was in my head for a long time worrying about what all these new people I have to work with thought about me. Every time I had to do something I wasn't used to yet I would have a small panic attack. My heart would race, I was breathing heavy, and I was constantly in my head about what “could” happen if I messed something up. I was also hoping no one could notice I was freaking out. In those moments I would concentrate on my breathing and then have a quick conversation with God. There were times when I was going to quit just because I was too scared and anxious about it. Every time I thought about quitting, I would tell myself Quitting is not an option. I have to prove to myself my anxiety will not control me. I told myself that everyday and everyday got easier and easier. Now I love my job. My advice to you is to just concentrate on proving to yourself that you are bigger than anxiety. - In my prayers, Rose xx
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Hi there! First off, full marks for not letting anxiety determine your path. Get on top of it, then it can't get on top of you. eh? A customer-facing role is a brave move and, I should say likely to be a very beneficial one indeed. we all have fears and anxieties, brave is when you do it anyway! So, you've no doubt experienced the retail world many times, from the customer side. It's actually a really controlled environment. What we might call 'procedural'. Customer and customer-service staff nearly always follow a rather rigid set of rules, or conventions. Payment-handling is 100 percent procedural. Be it cash or electronic fund transfer (cards, in other words). After a few days you'll find handling transactions becomes second-nature and quite an easy game, actually. Clothing is an excellent choice too. As a rule, we buy clothes because we want to, not because we have to. We browse, we consider. Ponder. we try on likley candidates. It's a positive, voluntary and basically 'feel-good' retail experience. So your customer will typically be well-disposed towards the staff, and largely in a 'good mood'. Compare this to shopping for food. Sometimes it's pleaure, choosing things we fancy. Planning a special meal? Sometimes 'the weekly food shop' is just a drag, and we wished we were somewhere else. Or how about fuel for your car? Hands up who likes buying fuel. Nobody? Didn't think so! Argumentative and unhelpful customers are far more likely to appear in these two branches of retail. Likewise, people like clothes and they like looking good. It's easier to get interested in the stock. In contrast, well...one bag of carrots looks much like another! Not too interesting, really. If you really like clothes and fashion yourself, it might be a gateway to a position with areally high-class couturier selling slick and beautiful designer clothing. And we all like that, right? Just go for it. Processing payments is, at the risk of stating the obvious, such a fundamental part of the job that you'll get more accurate, faster and more efficient at it automatically. Whether you want to, or think you will, or not. Don't overthink this, just apply. Right now!
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