ALT-1 How being Shy could Affect the Career Path you Choose
Shyness can get in the way of great career opportunities. The process of hunting for a job will be a challenge to say the least because, obviously, it involves talking to people you probably haven't met before. If you have a job the news isn't much better. Shyness can cause communication breakdowns, uneasy relationships, and slow advancement up the career ladder. The worst case scenario is that something you've wanted for a very long time will look as if it's unreachable. There are other ways in which shyness can affect your career aspirations.
An Inability to Cope
In the North American workplace, competition can be fierce. Dominance and aggression are highly regarded traits in this culture, and if you're shy then this type of place is going to be quite threatening. The people who are outgoing and confident will get all the attention, and the perks. Believe it or not, there are individuals out there who are ready and willing to take credit for something you did. They will do it unless you learn to speak up.
An Easy Target for Harassment
Another unpleasant consequence of being shy at work is attracting the attention of unsavory, aggressive co-workers. If you're shy, a workplace bully will notice this sooner rather than later. They can see shy people a mile away. Bullies won't care that you're unassertive, but they will want to see you cringe at work and make your life miserable. What do you think this will do to your confidence, which is probably not all that high to being with? The results of working in this toxic environment can be disastrous.
False Assumptions
From the perspectives of extroverts, introverts can appear to be shy. In reality, this isn't the case. Not all introverts suffer from shyness. However, if that's how you appear to others who value constant interaction over solitary activities, they will assume you're unapproachable. To extroverts that's the only logical explanation and it doesn't matter if the opposite is true. There will come a time when people will avoid you, and down the road this can lead to a whole new set of problems. Fear and depression will make life a lot harder.
Shyness isn't a bad thing, but society generally values extroverted people. Sitting back and waiting for people to notice you won't work, because the pace of life is fast and everyone else out there is trying to get a piece of the good life. If shyness is holding you back, take assertiveness training classes. Practice speaking clearly and maintaining a good posture. Standing tall sends the message that you're confident and ready to interact with others.
