Do your fears keep you from applying?

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Specifically in jobs involving having to deal with customers. I used to just avoid applying for so many jobs in the past because it involved me having to have a one-on-one convo with someone or having to speak down the phone to someone and to a certain point I still do. What about you guys?

<-----Hates retail.

I actually don't even SHOP in retail stores (Macy's, Columbia, etc.) unless I absolutely have to (like for a Christmas present for somebody at work). So to actually WORK in one is unlikely. The crowds, the fakery, the store forcing you to gain commissions by pushing yourself on potential customers, etc. Too much!

I did work the front counter and drive-thru at McDonald's. You don't really have to push yourself on people, though. It did utterly surprise me that people STREAMED into the place to buy those crappy burgers!

Yes. I've repeatedly thought applying for college, gym, a diagnosis, dating sites etc...and usually always thought the risks outweighed the potential success I could get. I don't know why, but it's making that the first move that's most difficult. I'd like to know how to improve though.

I don't know if I can even get myself to ask for an application regardless of what the job was. When my toilet was broken I wouldn't even ask for the keys to the bathroom in a fast food place. I just kept looking until I found another business with an unlocked bathroom.

There would be no point in my applying for a job where I had to deal with customers or talk on the phone. I either wouldn't be able to do them or I'd be so stressed out that I would quit very fast.

When I was a teen I was Scared To Death to even apply for a job. And then, if the person was a grouch that just scared me off more. Something needs to be done about this fear with teens on the spectrum. This fear has really put my career path off because for years I could not get a job until I was older. Even today, I get nervous applying for a job.

I don't like applying for jobs. I'm always asked questions that I have no idea how to answer because all I ever did was call centers throughout my 20s. And now that I'm done a course in web design, I have no idea how to apply because I worked by myself most of the time and hardly had any issues that are easily explainable to a person interviewing me.

I can't even think of any place to apply for a job where I wouldn't be expected to wait on customers all day like in a fast food place. The classified ads around here aren't any help as pretty much every job listed requires experience, a driver's license, and/or your own car. I don't have those things. I don't even have anything to put on an application. For education I have a ged and I have nothing to put for past work history. My last job lasted 5 weeks and was 10-15 years ago. I don't even have an id which would probably stop many places from hiring me too. I still haven't figured out how I can get one without enough points. I also don't like leaving my house every day.

To have a decent job, we have to have some people skills. Find a way to talk to people every day, even if all it entails is saying Hello and How are you?

I got over my shyness and fear of people, for the most part, by taking photographs of people. Also read books on how to talk to people -- mostly books by journalists on interviewing people. Unlike Aspies, most other people like and even love to talk about themselves when asked. Then listen to them and ask questions that show you are listening and are interested.

Yes, I HATE retail due to the noises the lights and the hours it's kinda a sensory overload for me tho sadly at this point it's what's out there until I finish with my classes and can move onto something more productive in a more sensible environment

Yes.

My lack of ability to imagine how a specific job looks like, the change it brings with itself and the uncertainty if I can do it scares me out. I try to apply only to jobs I know I can do - and there isn't much of them, especially with my self-confidence going lower and lower the longer I look. I used to think I can do any job as long as it doesn't involve too much human contact. I was imagining I can just get a job and sit putting data into computer or fixing computers all day long. Now I know it isn't possible - jobs are not that specialized. Even if you are just a office worker you need to pick up phones and as IT technician you still need to replace the cashier or fix customer computers at their homes.

But the biggest issue is my fear of making phone calls. I always need a few hours to force myself to make a phone call to set an interview and if they don't pick up my first call I need another hour to calm down before I can try again. I can talk through phone - apparently I do it quite well (or maybe people just say so to make me more confident) - but I find it hard to focus and understand what someone says. I tend to say my script without waiting for the person to answer anything. I already happen to talk with a office guard and even with an automatic secretary because after hearing "Hello..." I automatically started saying "I got a job offer from job office and they told me to contact you to set an interview date." without waiting for them to finish the introduction.

Not at all because it's a matter of applying in the right field and avoiding customer service. Even for retail jobs, not all of them require constant interaction with people. If you don't want to deal with customers, avoid the front end departments mostly. Most retail stores have grocery departments including nights where there's no customer interaction at all. Nowadays applying for jobs requires less social interaction. 90% of companies have online applications so you don't have to worry about going into a place and ask if they are hiring.

I used to be very anxious about making phone calls. At this point, I don't see what a customer can do to me that's any worse than what I've already gone through in life.

I am 46 going on 47 and badly struggling with things lately. Moving to and living on the Big Island of Hawaii, as I have learned the hard way, did NOT help with my situation. I absolutely love working in aviation, however I prefer working behind the scenes, such as aircraft/airline cargo/personnel or maintenance security. I have done well in operations AND maintenance (FAR 65 Part D) aspects. I TRY to avoid jobs where I have to deal with the irate, and entitled public. "What do you mean, that I could have booked a flight to PBI, and we're in Fort Lauderdale?!", "Why wont United wont let me board with these lacrosse sticks??", "I thought this IS Providence, RI! (when in fact they are at Boston Logan)", endless examples ranging from legitimate forgetfulness to full bore geographic stupidity, and right up to willful security breaches at any cost to get somewhere.

The LAST time I worked in retail was at Sears in Hyannis Mass, where I got into a VERY heated argument with the store manager and being led out in handcuffs by the Barnstable cops in May 2003-all this over a paper shredder I was selling to a very well to do business customer. The customer was very nice, but the store manager was deeply offended when I referred to one of the paper shredders as "The Enron Special" (Enron officials were accused and convicted of obstruction of justice through MASSIVE, All out full bore shredding of documents, even while feds busted them).

The last job I had at Kona airport was for SAS Porter services and was let go 3 days after getting it. I flat out told the manager there that Im not physically able to push a 300 pound passenger in a wheel chair up a set of very steep Boeing 767-300 outdoor boarding ramp unassisted. I was floored in a negative way (to my surprise) that there were no mechanical lift, and SAS Services nor Hawaiian airlines will invest in one. United Airlines has one, and Aloha Contract Services KOnA airport has one too, but wont let SAS use it. I also told the manager that this was a safety hazard and wanted no part of a potential back injury or a lawsuit from a mishap coming down from a 767 with a heavy passenger. Right after telling the manager, I had to hand in my SIDA badge. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise, where working at SAS is hot, and uncomfortable with very long hours of hard labor and physical work dealing with the public which leaves me mentally drained, not worth the low pay and lousy to no tips.

I used to ace filling out job applications but that is lately is becoming a struggle. Im conflicted at the last page of most FAA/TSA mandated forms that should I indicate I have a disability. Because if I indicate I have AS, then that can be used against me in hiring decisions. In view of that I almost feel that I have to hide the fact that I do have a mental disability. Now, as I am getting older and while health and depression has changed I feel ever more awkward at interviews. Its to the point almost (even in the course of interviews when I do get them) declaring outright war on the public. These are all very bad traits, and working hard to not become jaded and cynical.

It was decided I need to live in a larger city, (LAX) for some better social connections and better aviation tech jobs (where I don't have to deal with the public very much). I look forward to living at LAX for those reasons, but NOT looking forward to the real possibility of them running out of water. That is quite serious.

I'm not a people person, so prefer jobs that don't involve dealing with people.

Applying for jobs that interest me isn't scary though.