Question: When you started your job did you find it hard to cope with your new surroundings? What did you struggle with?

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  1. Neat question, and the answer is yes. A bit like starting at a new school in a way, not knowing where things are or who anyone is. The biggest thing was learning “the system” – basically how things were done. That includes things such as ordering equipment but also learning what my boss expected of me.

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  2. @reggie13: I think any time you start in a new job in a new place it’s a challenging time. Getting to know all the people, their personalities and working styles, how they all work together and where you fit into that can be exhausting! It’s also quite fun though! When you begin in a new workplace you get to start fresh in making new friends and presenting yourself and your work.

    The big thing I have struggled with over time (and amazingly, it’s something that happens to lots of people – about a third of us, not just me!) is called ‘Imposter Syndrome’ (it’s so common, they gave it a name!). It’s when you feel like you don’t belong somewhere or aren’t good enough, even though you’ve achieved lots of great things. You feel like it’s just a matter of time until everyone else works it out and calls you a fraud who doesn’t deserve the success you have achieved! Luckily, for now anyway, I’ve managed to get over this stage.

    If you’d like to read more, check out this article my friend Carolyn wrote for The Hoopla: http://thehoopla.com.au/fraud/

    Or see wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome

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  3. I can only agree with @DJ and @Mia, starting a new job, no matter where it is or what you’re doing is just like changing schools or going up a year. New friends, work mates, teacher and bosses.

    But when you’re doing something you love, then you learn to look forward to these things. I should know. In 10 years with army I moved 10 times!

    Coping is something else. New jobs can be very different to school in that sence. People mostly want to help eachother because we have to work together. The hardest part of new jobs was probably remembering all the new names. But I always enjoyed new starts. 🙂

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  4. Mia’s point about feeling like an impostor is a really good one, and that is something that is very common in any field, but especially science. It took a long time for me to stop worrying about people “finding out” that I didn’t belong, so in my present job I haven’t had to worry too much about that.
    The biggest challenge for me as part of a large international scientific research group has been relocating from the Unites States to Oz. Sydney is a wonderful place to live, but it can be hard to meet new people and make new friends — that is just as true whether you’re 6, 16, or 36 years old.

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  5. Unlike the others, my experience of starting a new job (and I have done it quite a few times) is more excitement than fear. Its a new adventure (a bit like taking part in I’m a Scientist) and I like new adventures so long as they are not too adventurous 🙂

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Comments

  1. thank you for answering my question, I understand your answers

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