OPINION: Knowing what your boss wants and how to do a good job will reduce your anxiety

College graduates starting their new jobs are afraid of work – but there is no need to be.

A new survey by Intelligent.com found that 83 percent of college graduates experience anxiety at work at least once a week.

That number includes 16 percent who feel anxious every day, while another 27 percent feel anxious “three to four days a week.”

A majority also contact their supervisor more than once a day, the report says.

Intelligent.com suspects this is because recent graduates need structure to “cope in an unfamiliar environment.” They “may be used to instant feedback and responses,” says Huy Nguyen, the company’s career counselor.

As someone who trains college graduates and gives them advice on how to succeed in internships, I have some tips on how to reduce anxiety and succeed at work.

The problem probably boils down to a. someone doing something wrong, b. getting in trouble for it, and as a result c. getting fired and left penniless.

But there are antidotes to this fear.

First, check whether your company has standard operating procedures and other guidelines. For example, news organizations have style guides that allow reporters to double-check questions about grammar, diction, and capitalization.

Over time, you can also develop your own guide from feedback on your work. So if your boss always bolds the title of a report, assume you should too. In addition to working with a writing guide, I ask my writers to develop their own checklist based on the feedback I give them on each article.

Second, keep an ongoing list of regular tasks and specific projects. For example, “Submit expense reports by noon every Friday” can be written on a weekly list and on a calendar. “Write a three-page marketing plan for a new product” would be a specific project.

Sometimes managers lose track or don’t think about the different tasks and the time required for them. (For the record, this is not a problem with The College Fix). This can make employees feel overwhelmed and afraid to say something.

However, it can be helpful to write down everything that’s on your schedule and ask what should be prioritized. This way, you can align with your manager and know how to prioritize your time.

Finally, when submitting products, it can be helpful to consult not only formal and informal guidance, but also to get input from colleagues. (I highly recommend The Memo by Professor Jack Yoest of the Catholic University of America.)

In my experience, managers want to spend as little time as possible reviewing work before implementation, so it can be helpful for them to know that you’ve worked on the product using guides and standard operating procedures and received feedback from other employees.

Here’s what a short note on a marketing plan for a new product might sound like, giving a manager confidence in your approach (and making their life easier):

This is the final marketing plan for approval. I consulted with the graphic design team and the sales team to make sure they had the manpower and money to make this happen. The sales team gave me three examples of similar successful marketing plans that I used as inspiration. Since billboard rental costs can fluctuate, I called three of our suppliers to confirm their rates for the next three months. Finally, I read through the plan twice and checked the grammar to make sure everything was clearly written for our leadership team.

It’s normal to feel a little anxious at work and to be anxious to do a good job.

But if you stay organized, write final versions, and maintain communication, you can get it all done well as a young college graduate.

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