Nicole
Can a shy introverted person with social anxiety succeed in the HR field? Tips on interviews?
Hello! My question is can a shy introverted person with social anxiety succeed in the HR field?I am currently a student and I’m majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resource Management. I have around a year and a half left of school and I am unfortunately in a remote setting due to not being able to afford on campus housing or commuting. I originally wanted to be a vet tech but realized they didn’t get paid much and I wanted a career with growth and opportunities. I then realized that I gravitated towards things such as counseling and social work and I would love the opportunity to help others in some way. I know I needed a masters to pursue those things so I gravitated towards Human Resources. You get the opportunity to help someone in some form of way while also helping the business succeed. I was also drawn to the administration duties due to my introverted personality. I am now on the hunt for Internship positions. I’ve had my first in person interview in 2 years and anxiety overwhelmed me and the idea to sell myself. I felt like I wouldn’t be able to succeed in a career in Human Resources. All of my confidence total disappeared as the internship required I do a lot of interviews and recruitment over the phone and I have absolutely no experience and I’m shy. Furthermore, I’ve had countless interviews with companies in a virtual setting. I would make it to the final round (3 interviews) and would still be rejected. I am super grateful I am even getting the chance to have interviews for this Field but I’m quickly losing more and more confidence due to the rejections. As a sales associate, I feel fine talking to customers in my work environment, but other then that I mainly stick to myself and get intimidated by large crowds. I also have increase anxiety talking to the HR department because I would love the chance for experience and am now doubting my self worth. Any tips for overcoming social anxiety? Any tips for succeeding with interviews and bettering myself? Are there any courses to practice interviews or soft skills? Any certifications that can help? I am also interested in data analytics and would love to learn. Also, if I can’t secure an internship, I wanted to get some sort of experience. Any ideas? I was thinking an office setting and customer service to break out of my shell and comfort zone. Any ideas of low entry jobs like that? Should I change majors? Am I wasting my time? Let me know any thoughts and advice, I would appreciate it.
3 answers
James Constantine Frangos
James Constantine’s Answer
It's understandable to feel overwhelmed and discouraged, especially when dealing with social anxiety. However, it's important to remember that your introverted personality and social anxiety don't necessarily preclude you from succeeding in HR. Many successful HR professionals are introverts who thrive in roles that require empathy, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Here's some advice to help you on your journey:
1. Embrace Your Strengths:
Introversion as an Advantage: Introverts often possess strong listening skills, empathy, and the ability to analyze situations deeply. These are invaluable traits in HR, where you'll need to understand employee needs, resolve conflicts, and make informed decisions.
Focus on Your Values: Your desire to help others aligns perfectly with HR. Channel your passion for helping people into your work and let that drive you.
2. Develop Your Interview Skills:
Practice, Practice, Practice: Role-playing with a friend or mentor can significantly improve your interview performance. Practice answering common interview questions, such as "Tell me about yourself" and "Why are you interested in this role?"
STAR Method: Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and provide specific examples of your skills and experiences.
Focus on Your Strengths: Highlight your strengths, such as your analytical skills, attention to detail, and problem-solving abilities.
Ask Thoughtful Questions: Prepare insightful questions to ask the interviewer. This demonstrates your interest and engagement.
Online Resources: Utilize online resources such as mock interview platforms and interview coaching services.
3. Build Your Confidence:
Challenge Negative Thoughts: Identify and challenge negative thoughts that are hindering your confidence. Replace them with positive affirmations.
Start Small: Begin with small steps to overcome your social anxiety. For example, engage in brief conversations with strangers, attend small social gatherings, or join a club or group related to your interests.
Seek Support: Consider seeking support from a therapist or counselor to address your social anxiety.
4. Gain Experience:
Internship: While finding an internship can be challenging, don't give up. Network with HR professionals, attend career fairs, and reach out to companies directly.
Volunteer Work: Volunteer for organizations that align with your interests, such as non-profits or community centers. This will provide you with valuable experience in interacting with people and contributing to a team.
Customer Service Roles: As you mentioned, customer service roles can be a great way to develop your communication and interpersonal skills.
Freelance Projects: Consider freelance projects in areas like HR administration or recruitment to gain practical experience.
5. Enhance Your Skills:
Data Analytics: Pursuing data analytics skills can be a valuable asset in HR. Consider taking online courses or pursuing certifications in data analysis and HR analytics.
Certifications: Consider pursuing HR certifications such as Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).
6. Remember Your Worth:
Rejection is Common: Job searching is a challenging process, and rejection is common. Don't let it discourage you. Learn from each interview experience and continue to improve.
Focus on Your Growth: View each interview as an opportunity to learn and grow.
7. Consider Your Options:
Don't Rule Out Other Fields: While HR may be your current goal, exploring other career paths within business administration can be beneficial.
Flexibility: Consider the possibility of remote work options, which can provide more flexibility and reduce social anxiety.
Remember, building a successful career takes time and effort. Be patient with yourself, celebrate your accomplishments, and don't be afraid to seek support along the way. You have the potential to succeed in HR, and with dedication and perseverance, you will achieve your goals.
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Johnny Carino
Johnny’s Answer
I’m one who speaks to everyone. When shy best way to start is simply approach people. When you make them of interest you find yourself being more confident.
I always put me aside, learned about them. Speaking to different personalities, knowledgeable folks allows you to feel at ease by learning about them.
Don’t worry about speaking to yourself. Trust, by doing this you will find more and more comfort.
When public speaking watch videos of others. Great ones entertain, keep you interested.
Learn one liners that immediately makes others laugh. Then speak, it’s an easier approach.
As you grow from others start to focus on what you offer others. HR, confidence, dealing with different situations, knowing laws, company rules.
Help better others. In a nutshell don’t make yourself the conversation. Learning about others is your answer I promise
Lillian Clarke
Lillian’s Answer
There are a few topics I can hit on as a former HR generalist and as a Career Coach.
1) Introverts can absolutely succeed in HR! People with these personalities offer many benefits in this field. One example includes the innate skill of listening, which is vital for helping employees. There are many areas in HR that you can explore that might be a better match for your introverted personality. For example, if calling candidates and recruiting was a bad experience for you, you could look more into the administrative side of HR, such as benefits, retirement, or operations. There is a growing need for HR data analysts as more companies are switching to using HR information systems and software to automate many HR processes. If you are interested in pursuing HR, there are many different avenues to explore within this career that could be more suitable for your interests in administrative work, data, and introverted personality.
2) Interviewing is stressful but fortunately, there are many resources out there to help settle those pesky nerves! I would do some Googling to find the webpages of college career services. Many trusted and sourced articles and resources are available for anyone to access that can address overcoming those interviewing nerves and offering tips to utilize as you prepare for interviews. However, my number one piece of advice is to practice interviewing with a trusted friend, family member, or career coach. Practice interviews create a safe space to mess up, start over, and practice building interviewing confidence. The more times you practice with someone, the easier it will become. The people you are working with want you to succeed and are there to offer grace and feedback before the real thing.
I hope these insights are helpful in hitting a few of the topics you were interested in learning about.
Best of luck Nicole in exploring your future career and building interviewing skills. We are all rooting for you!
Lillian recommends the following next steps: