Graduating from university usually means making job hunting your full-time job until you actually find one. Sound intimidating? Read more to learn how to overcome your fears and take control of your job search.

Is hunting for Halloween Horror flicks on Netflix more appealing than hunting for your future career? Well, we here at the CMC completely understand; in fact, we had our “super friendly” ghost, Dolor, come up with the top fears related to job searching (and how to overcome them – although Dolor was quite hesitant in sharing those):

Fear of Being Underqualified

Don’t doubt yourself. When people fall into the trap of thinking they are not qualified enough based on the requirements on a job posting, they are devaluing their skillset. If your background (experience and/or degree type), interests and at least some of your skills match the job posting, you should apply.

Say you are seeking an analyst position and you feel that don’t have any relevant job experience. While it may not seem like it, a lot of the skills you gained from other life experiences are transferable. Take a look at all the things you have participated in, such as being the executive of a club or any part-time jobs you have had and extract all of the skills you gained from each one. You’ll be surprised at how many overlap with the posting that you didn’t think applied to you at all!

Fear of Bombing the Interview

While Dolor will gleefully sit you down and go over all the horrible things you could ever do in a job interview, we are here to tell you that fearing the interview is normal. It is highly difficult to foresee how the interview will turn out and there is no way to ensure that it will run smoothly. However, while you can’t predict the actual interview, you can ensure that you are prepared to handle any questions or hurdles that come your way. Further, book an appointment with one of the CMC advisors for a practice interview, and check out the interview preparation guide on Beedie Community. All of these resources will help you become the most equipped interviewee!

Fear of Rejection

It can be incredibly frightening to apply for a job when you know the recruiter most likely received an alarming number of applications, so you start to doubt yourself and your chances of getting an interview. However, if you are trying for a position you are qualified for, you deserve just as much of a chance as the other applicants. While rejection is a possibility, so is acceptance. In the end, you should approach each interview as an opportunity to learn. You may learn something new about yourself that can help you in your next job interview.

Fear of Landing a Job You Hate

Ah! This fear is all too common. Through the job search process, you may find yourself thinking: What if I hate it? What if I’m miserable? What if this isn’t the right job for me? While this is normal, it is important to remember that you can’t let this fear get in the way! There is no guarantee that you will love it, but there is no guarantee that you will hate it either. So give job searching a chance and pursue jobs that you believe are a great fit for you. Don’t make something a problem before it’s actually a problem.

And remember, during the interview is your chance to learn more about the people and the company. Ask your interviewer questions about why they love their job, or what they like most about their company so that you can get a better feel for if you will enjoy working there or not.

It is normal to fear the job search process, but it is an opportunity for you to shape your future. Find out what it is that’s holding you back from searching, then tackle that fear head-on! If you’re still unsure, check out the CMC’s Job Search Strategies for more resources.