job offer, but with much more pressure

LegacyUser

Hi.

I have a pretty good job with a good company. im pretty good at it and comfortable in it.
Its getting quite boring though and there is only very limited scope for promotion.

I done an interview for a different job within the company a few days ago. the new job would mean huge amounts of pressure, but would provide some amazing experience.

Now, I have a history of panic attacks. CBT allowed me to overcome this and get to where i am today, and i am proud of this.

Im wondering though, is it wise for me to push myself further, into a lot of pressure, lest my panic attacks make a reappearance. In the new role, its customer facing so panic attacks are out of the question.

I want to grow, and prove to myself i am growing, but i wonder if this is just the wrong role. Can anyone advise?

beks101

I think you need to just jump into the dark on this one.

No-one can tell you there's not a risk that the panic attacks won't make a reappearance, but the alternative is sticking with a safe job that you're 'comfortable'/bored in, that doesn't challenge you or allow much personal growth.

Or course it boils down to your priorities and personality type - are you happy to stay in a job that pays the bills and a bit more, but is a bit dull and doesn't have room for manoevre? Which is more important to you in a job - security or self-fulfillment?

Do you have a psychologist/therapist who you can consult with and maybe discuss some CBT strategies to prevent the panic attacks from recurring?

The new job gets my vote. If I were you I would accept the offer and take it one day at a time, see if there is any discomfort or re-emergence of symptoms. Life's too short, I think otherwise you would always wonder whether or not this new job could have been a real turning point for you

auerillo

should_I_Jump wrote: »

Hi.

I have a pretty good job with a good company. im pretty good at it and comfortable in it.
Its getting quite boring though and there is only very limited scope for promotion.

I done an interview for a different job within the company a few days ago. the new job would mean huge amounts of pressure, but would provide some amazing experience.

Now, I have a history of panic attacks. CBT allowed me to overcome this and get to where i am today, and i am proud of this.

Im wondering though, is it wise for me to push myself further, into a lot of pressure, lest my panic attacks make a reappearance. In the new role, its customer facing so panic attacks are out of the question.

I want to grow, and prove to myself i am growing, but i wonder if this is just the wrong role. Can anyone advise?

I thought CBT was cock and ball torture, but imagine you mean something else by it!

It's impossible for strangers to advise you to push yourself further or not, as its a matter of judgement which can only be based on knowing you and knowing what sort of person you are.

If you have been under medical supervision for panic attacks, could you not discuss it with the medical person/team who would have a better understanding of your situation.

Or your intimate friends/family who are better placed to advise you rather than anonymous people from the internet who don't know you and don't know what sort of person you are.

tbh

roll the dice man. What's the worst that can happen?

LegacyUser

my episode occured over 4 years ago, and since then i have been in my steady job. the problem with it being over 4 years ago, is that my councellor is no longer my councellor, as i have moved to a completely different location. So at present, i dont have a medical professional to fall back on.

I am asking family and friends, but none of them have been in this situation, they only helped me through the last one, so althourh their opinions are incredibly valuable to me, I would also like outside opinions, perhaps from people who have been in a similar situation.

LegacyUser

tbh wrote: »

roll the dice man. What's the worst that can happen?

worst that can happen is my skill level is not up to the job and i lose the job. would be real salt in the wound, after giving up a safe, moderately recession proof job i have now.

worse again is that i fall back into having anxiety and panic attacks, cannot function at work and have to "take it easy" again for another 6 months.

beks101

should_I_Jump wrote: »

my episode occured over 4 years ago, and since then i have been in my steady job. the problem with it being over 4 years ago, is that my councellor is no longer my councellor, as i have moved to a completely different location. So at present, i dont have a medical professional to fall back on.

In that case I would advise finding a new counsellor.

I have not been in your situation and I am not you, but what I would do in this situation is start seeing a new counsellor regularly, start adapting the CBT strategies that worked for you before, and accept the job offer. This way, if the problem does raise its head, you've already recruited the help of a professional to help you through it. If it's not possible to work through it and the job is simply not do-able because of your medical history, then I'm sure a good counsellor will help you to see this. Could turn out that it's not even a problem at all.

This is as much safe-guarding of the situation as you can do - the fact is, this is going to be a risk no matter which way you look at it.

Sleepy

should_I_Jump wrote: »

worst that can happen is my skill level is not up to the job and i lose the job. would be real salt in the wound, after giving up a safe, moderately recession proof job i have now.

worse again is that i fall back into having anxiety and panic attacks, cannot function at work and have to "take it easy" again for another 6 months.

If you couldn't hack the pace of the new role, what's the chances the company would move you back to the position you're in now?

Given that they're promoting you, they obviously think highly of you. I can think of very few companies who wouldn't do everything possible to avoid letting someone go in those circumstances. You know the systems, know the role and are doing well in it. If the new role doesn't go so well, most decent managers would try and move you back into your current role rather than losing you altogether.

tbh

should_I_Jump wrote: »

worst that can happen is my skill level is not up to the job and i lose the job. would be real salt in the wound, after giving up a safe, moderately recession proof job i have now.

worse again is that i fall back into having anxiety and panic attacks, cannot function at work and have to "take it easy" again for another 6 months.

ok - fair enough. About the skills - the other company wouldn't have offered you the job if they didn't think you had the skills for it.

LegacyUser

I dont fully agree with the last statement. just over 4 years ago i got a job. i didnt have the exact skills for the job, but the boss gave me the job anyway based on my interview. i knew the very basics, but was not improving at a rate he was happy with.

instead of helping me through it( i was fresh out of college) he just picked at me and pushed me and asked me questions like " do you know anything?".
Due to this, i started having anxiety attacks and had to take time from work, and get CBT.

So, based on this experience, I believe you can do a good interview, but not improve at a rate someone expects, or just present yourself very well in an interview but still not be up to the standard for that position at that point in time.

I guess most people will rise to the challenge , suck it up, and get on with it, but that experience has left me with a once bitten twice shy attitude.

skooterblue

tbh wrote: »

ok - fair enough. About the skills - the other company wouldn't have offered you the job if they didn't think you had the skills for it.

The other company doesn't know about your panic attacks. You didnt tell them? I didnt think so. Anxiety disorders and mental health issues scare people because people who dont have them cant understand them and are afraid of them.

In the current climate I would urge you to take the safer options. I have a friend who was working in a nice safe public sector job. She was making stupid money (70k+). She was greedy and wanted to go to the private sector to make more money. She failed her professional exams and was sacked. If she had remained with the state company she would still have her job and would eventually get her exams. Its easy to be brave when there is a boom on when there is a recession on you need to turn every penny in you pocket twice before you spend it.

What price do you put on your mental health?

LegacyUser

skooterblue wrote: »

What price do you put on your mental health?

Its invaluable. Ive struggled with anxiety for a few years now and i know the value of being healthy and happy. Ok, its not a physical disease that kills, but it can torture you just as bad.

skooterblue wrote: »

She was greedy and wanted to go to the private sector to make more money.

Im not doing this for more money. I make enough to get by at present, and to save a small amount for a rainy day.

Im considering it, and done the interview because my job, although stable is not a huge challenge anymore, and there is not much leeway for growth.

The new job will let me grow and learn a lot, but at the expense of lots of pressure and loss of sleep.

I know the rest of my worries are baggage from previous experience, but my subconscious will not let me move on. thats why im asking the opinion of folks here, to see what you would do in my situation. its good to hear all the points of view and i appreciate it. thanks guys for all the different points.

LegacyUser

skooterblue wrote: »

The other company doesn't know about your panic attacks. You didnt tell them? I didnt think so. Anxiety disorders and mental health issues scare people because people who dont have them cant understand them and are afraid of

forgot to comment on this in my last post, but you are correct, its not something you discuss in an interview or put on your cv. there is a huge stigma around depression, anxiety or any mental health issue, most of which are unjustified, seeing as most people will suffer some form of mental health issue over their lives.

i dont regret holding back on this info, i wouldnt have gotten the job otherwise, a job im now very good at and valued at.

ChocolateRamses

The fact that you mentioned not having a fallback in a counsellor or therapist local to you makes me think it might be a good idea to source one before you commit to the new job.

TBH what you've described sounds like what most of us have experienced at one time or another with ****ty bosses.

No reason not to give yourself a contingency plan if you feel the pressure is getting to you.

LegacyUser

Its a good idea to get a support system set up before i enter the new role.

It can be very difficult to get a CBT councellor though. I got one the last time as i was in a bad state ( not sleeping, not eating, getting sick, pretty much unable to function), but as the waiting list for these guys is huge, chances of getting one in the next month or so is virtually zero. Also, i no longer live at home ( now in dublin) which means my old councellor is out of the question as they are on the other side of the country.

Also i think you generally need a doctors refferal, and if you are not in a bad state at the time of visiting the doc, you wont get one.

Il put a post in this board asking how do you get a CBT councellor in a hurry. thanks again everyone.

CeNedra

I don't have experience of anxiety based on work, but I have had a few instances when I have felt pretty stressed out. They were mainly around changing from one job to another. I put intense pressure on myself to be the best at the job I am doing and I get frustrated when I am not at 100%, like most people aren't when they are getting into a new job. Will this happen to you or will you be able to take a step back and realise that you will need time to get up to speed like every mere mortal out there?

Also, you need to ask yourself whether you will get seriously frustrated in your current role. If it is boring, and you don't take this opportunity that you are being offered, will you be stuck in that job. If so, will boredom and maybe frustration at the missed opportunity impact on your mental health.

I don't know you or your situation, but I would say, sometimes you need to believe in yourself and your capabilities. Believe you can do this. You are being offered a role, you will do your best at it from the sounds of you, and you need to accept that you will have a learning curve. If it doesn't work out, you probably will be able to work with the company and move onto something that will suit you better. If you don't try, you will never know. Don't let this anxiety dictate your life any more than it has to.

Best of luck.

LegacyUser

Just to let you know, I didnt get offered the job. The feedback was that in the many technical topics they tested me in, I was not experienced enough in one of those areas.

I agreed with their judgement, and was not terribly disapointed. Over the last few days though I have learned a lot about myself, and realize that I need to work on my self confidence, and to believe in myself.

I also have learned that there are areas i need to improve in to be able to leave my current job and proceed in my desired direction so I will concentrate on doing some courses and study in these areas.

Thanks for all the advice on this folks, it really helped me learn a lot about myself.

ChocolateRamses

sounds like things worked out for the best Glad to hear it OP.