Landing a new job offer that matches your career goals can be great, but it is also essential that you have all the information to learn the trade.
Often a person can get anxious within the first few days when they can not get up to speed to learn the job’s basics that match their skills. It can be due to improper training schedules and the time duration given to learning the job responsibilities.
In such situations, new employees often search for answers – how long does it take to learn a new job? How many weeks before one can feel comfortable in a new workplace?
This article will help you understand how long it takes to learn a new job and how you can adjust quickly.
It’s Normal to Feel Overwhelmed in a New Job
Moving from a lousy previous job position or getting hired for the first new job after a continuous job search can be exhausting. And in such situations, it becomes overwhelming when you realize you have found a job of your choice.
And this is a normal phenomenon. Even the best of people and most confident people can get overwhelmed at new jobs.
Giving yourself the time and space required to adapt to this change is crucial. Moving from one job to another, changing in environment, and getting familiarised with new team members at the new job can take time.
It would be best if you remembered that the feeling wouldn’t go overnight, but it will once you are through being the new employee and get started with your work responsibilities.
How Long Does New Job Anxiety Last?
On average, new hires have faced anxiety at some point during the first week of their tenure. Starting a new job can cause anxiety that may last from the first week to over many coming weeks.
The time duration can differ based on how easily the new hire transits into the new position and how comfortable they are with their new environment and responsibilities.
Moreover, the anxiety will always ease with each passing day, and things will improve once the new hire has started a new job and is at the end of the fifth or sixth week.
How to Reduce Anxiety at a New Job?
When starting a new job, you must maintain coping strategies to deal with work-related or new job anxiety. Here are some easy steps to guide you out of difficult situations and help you overcome anxiety at the new job in the initial weeks:
- Make it a habit to do breathing exercises every day for a few weeks at least.
- Do not go overboard with an all-or-nothing attitude. Seek inputs from colleagues as you find your path at the new job.
- Connect with your close ones to keep work conversations from getting into your head during your time.
- Avoid comparing your abilities or learning with those old in the system.
- Stay positive and remind yourself of the skills that helped you get through the interview process and get hired for the new job.
- Observe how your new coworkers cope with similar situations. You could also ask for guidance from them.
How Long Does New Job Anxiety Last?
With new job anxiety lasting from the first few weeks to the third week to over a month, it is important to validate how you feel before moving on from it.
Many organizations offer unique programs to make new employees comfortable and help them overcome new job jitters. Orientations and special induction sessions are conducted to help them familiarise themselves with the organization and its culture.
Below are some of the reasons that can contribute to the deciding factor for your new job anxiety:
- Considering how much experience you have
- Personal social life issues
- Colleagues in the new office and their behavior
- Your mental health
- Taking too much pressure at your dream job
7 Essential Tips on How to Learn a New Job
While anxiety can only be dealt with by talking about what’s bothering you at work or what is not working out at the new workplace, you may be scared of not learning everything fast.
Here are some tips to help you understand how long does it take to learn a new job:
1. Listen to your trainer
The initial thing that can create a learning curve for your job role is your listening skills. Be attentive during training and remember what your trainer has to say. Initial pieces of training are most crucial because these teach you the base of what you’ll be doing for the rest of your tenure.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask questions
And while you need to focus on your trainer’s words, you must not hesitate to ask any questions. Clearing doubts shows you are paying attention and wish to learn and explore the topic better.
You must search for answers that can help you perform your job responsibilities better. You do not want to be the new employee who does not know the basics.
3. Learn the basics
And as mentioned above, asking questions would help clear your base and provide insights into the topics that will benefit your job later.
You can also reach out to your colleagues to clarify a task’s basics and ask them to give you a live example to help you understand the solution better.
You can only progress in your job if you have clarity on the basics. If you don’t clear your basics, you will always get stuck with the more significant tasks and responsibilities.
4. Take things step by step
Doing everything together and learning everything in one go is impossible, practically. The best way to learn a new job is to do it step by step. Take one task at a time.
It would be best to ask your colleagues to help you prioritize the work responsibilities and learn which work will be a regular thing and what is to be done in a gap of days, weeks, or even a few months.
It is best to give your work first six months to align, and ensure that you put all your efforts in learning your job.
5. Pay attention to experienced colleagues
Learning at the job would require getting help from trainers and experienced old employees. If you know someone who’s been working with the same company for several years, be attentive when they talk.
Even if your experienced team members are at the same level as you, they will know everything at the current company.
They can also guide you through various procedures that are not discussed during the training sessions and share all the information that requires more practical knowledge than process-based learning.
Discussions with such co-workers can be a great learning curve at a new job.
6. Focus on improving your skills
While you have a new job to focus on now, you must not forget to work on your skill set. You must keep improving your skills to stay updated with your current job’s requirements. It will also prove helpful when you feel ready to be promoted to the next level.
7. Unwind after work
Taking work and its stress back home is never a good idea. If you want to maintain your work-life balance, ensure you leave anything related to work back in the office.
Remember to give yourself the space to relax and regain the energy to feel good about going back the next day.
How Long Does It Take to Feel Confident & Comfortable in a New Job?
The most common response from employees has confirmed that a minimum of two to three months is required to regain confidence in a new workplace. And yet, some people can take an entire year to feel confident about themselves in a new office.
How Long Does It Take to Be Productive in a New Job?
It takes a couple of months before your manager will check your productivity at work. The grace period is suggested to be three months. However, it is not mandatory to stay inactive until then. If you are familiar with the job, you can start doing your best from the first month.
Is It Normal to Be Slow at a New Job?
It is perfectly normal to feel like you have slowed down in your new job. It can be due to a new environment, work procedures, new people, or a change in the industry. And yet, you can always strive to improve and increase your pace as you move ahead in the company.