Things They Don’t Tell You About Your First Job
It might be easier to find out your first job, as freshers are always welcomed by the recruiters. Once you send in your resume, it is expected that you will be getting a call from the company right away. You face the interview and get hired for your dream job. Your first job is the stepping stone and chances are bright that you might have to face new experiences that are totally unexpected, being new to the field. Therefore to avoid those tricky situations which you might not have imagined might come up while searching for going for your first job here are a few tips which will be very helpful.
Mostly it is taken for granted that every part of our education system is designed in such a manner that it will certainly make us well prepared for any type of job. But in reality, it is not true at all. In a study conducted in 2013, at North-eastern University, on 1,000 business leaders and University leaders in the US, it was found that 62 % of the people voted that the “ college efforts to prepare graduates for the economy” are either poor or just fair enough. Half of the respondents said that preparation quality has decreased even more as compared to the past 10-15 years.
20 Most Important Things
Fortunately, we have experts who very well know what skills are needed for being excellent while entering the workforce as a fresher. We have compiled the list of those 20 most important things which the employers or college does not tell you about your first job. Why not check them out below:
1. Grades do not Matter
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On your first job, there are no grades, unlike college the professional world is a more realistic one and here we do not have A’s, B’s or C’s. The new employees need to know and learn that there is a meager amount of teaching and there is just either pass or just fail. The employers just want you to excel and hit the ground as soon as you join with minimal training. They expect that you are already an expert for the position that you have been appointed for. So, it is advisable not to over-reach for the job which needs more skills than you currently possess.
2. Your Mistakes Are Most Important
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While studying small mistakes like doing your homework late, submitting the assignments after deadlines or committing and error in the test paper did not matter much. But when you join your first job your faults matter the most as it will have an effect on the entire team, thus affecting your co-workers as well as your boss. Finally, the errors or slip-ups that are done by you will impact the company in the end. Other people in the company might have to stay late to fix your blunders or might have to lose important business because of this. So keep an eye on your mistakes and try avoiding them at all.
3. Everyone at Workplace is Not a Friend
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The office is considered to be a highly complicated place, where you get to enjoy the company of several complicated personalities. This is the place where you spend more time with your co-workers than with your family. You are not allowed to choose whom you can work with, so you might encounter highly challenging personalities around you and that can be your boss (a mean one), your colleague (a backstabber) or a cube-mate (lazy one). So do not get annoyed or fight back or disregard your co-workers. Spend some time studying their behavior and working style and try to support their working style and achieve success as a team.
4. Learn to Manage your Manager
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Again since you can’t choose your manager, so it’s better that you manage with him. The best way to be in control is to ‘manage up’. This covers a lot of things, but it involves mainly supporting and working cordially with your assigned manager. Thus help him/ her to get the job done in the best possible manner. You can best do this by analyzing and valuing his/ her style of working, setting upright the expectations with him/her and offering help often.
5. You Symbolize the Company
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Once you get employed by the company you start representing it. This clearly means that every Instagram post, every tweet or any statement on Facebook or anything you speak in front of the client speaks for your entire company. Since you are now the company’s ambassador, so start believing in its objectives and mission. This important fact, that now you stand for the entire company is not told by anyone. So, ensure that you sign up or talk for the entire organization and not just for the job you have been appointed for.
6. Inaccurate First Job Descriptions
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When you are handed over the offer letter, it carries your job description which does not state your daily responsibilities and duties to be executed. Although you get evaluated on the basis of the parameters mentioned in that documents every month, quarterly, or annually, but your daily schedule and activities which need to be performed will be totally different.
7. Keep Reasonable Expectations for Salary
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Since this is your first job and you are not experienced at all so keep reasonable expectations about the salary from the job. It is better to first conduct thorough research on the jobs that attract you to a particular sector. Then find out the average salary offered through various websites and contacts in a particular sector for the job profile you want. This would be very useful knowledge when deciding about the entry-level salary that you might ask while saying yes to the first job.
8. Do not Expect Appreciation all the Time
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There might be a possibility that you got a pat on your back for every good thing you did in school or college, but that might not be the case here. In the beginning, you might be praised for things you do, but do not make it a motivating factor to do well, because that will not happen all the time, and everyone likes being appreciated, so there will be situations where you did your best but someone else did better than you, do not expect appreciation for your personal performance.
9. It’s All About Numbers
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Organizations work on the Performance of their employees. And if you cannot deliver what’s expected of you, then you don’t deserve to stay in the organization. The organization invests in you in the beginning by providing you with the necessary training and guidance required, therefore you are expected to get numbers, i.e., fulfill the performance targets matching the parameters set by the organization.
10. Accept Criticism Gracefully
Taking things personally will not help you grow. Remember, it’s your workplace, and managers might not have time to sugar-coat things for you and mention. If you are criticized for your mistakes, accept it with grace rather than whining about it, or taking it to heart. Learn from it and ask for a constructive feedback revealing your responsible self and keenness to learn.
11. Festivals don’t bring Leaves
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Workplace is a serious business. During school life, you’ve had the liberty to enjoy extended festive holidays, but that’s not the case when you start working. Businesses run by fulfilling targets set by clients and thus making profits. Therefore, do not expect long leaves or holidays during festivals, birthdays or at new years. Plan up your one-day leave optimally and be prepared for the work next morning.
12. Learn on your Own
Unlike in school or class, your manager is not going to tell you each and everything in detail, and neither should you expect such a thing. Workplace follows the concept of common sense and sense of work culture; therefore, it becomes a mandate for the newbie to learn some important things on their own or by asking their colleagues rather than the manager. Observing is the best option to choose especially if you are too shy to ask someone, so that it does not make you sound stupid.
13. Follow the 3 Cs: Clear, Crisp and Candid
It is important for a fresher to understand that managers don’t have time for your detailed description of situations; rather they expect you to be upshot and straight-forward. Measure your words in such a manner that:
- It conveys your point clearly
- Does not take too much time
- Is brief and to the point
14. Develop Good Habits
A healthy mind dwells in a healthy body. And it’s never too late to develop good habits. It keeps you busy and helps you become healthy. Remember, you get good ideas when your mind is active and healthy.
- Start going to the gym, or a morning jog.
- Manage time between activities.
- Go through e-newspaper while going to work to keep yourself updated about the world outside your work.
- Get yourself organized.
15. Your Body Language and Attitude matter
Nonverbal communication can prove either helpful or fatal if you do have not mastered the art. Body language exhibits your personality in a very loud and clear way, and so does your attitude. If you are going through a bad phase in your personal life, you might not speak about it but your attitude and body language (maybe a rude tone, or a sad face, or your mood swings) will clearly show that you are not mentally present in the workplace. There might be another situation as well, that is your inappropriate behavior outside the organization also matters, you are the face of your organization now.
16. Challenge Yourself Regularly
Joining a new job is not only about doing what you have been told to do or what is asked for. Working is about evolving and challenging you every day with a new target or goal. Thus, doing a job is about fulfilling performance targets, appraising yourself regularly, rising above your weaknesses, learning new techniques to work efficiently, and performing better than the last time. Challenges help you develop and introduce yourself to the New self altogether.
17. Do not Look Desperate
A newbie does not about the atmosphere of the workplace, therefore, to look best he/she might do things unknowingly, which makes him/her look desperate or foolish sometimes. Therefore, it becomes very important to step out of your comfort zone and understand the fact that the world you are stepping into is different and competitive. Be confident and go with the flow till the time you learn how the organization works.
18. Adapt the Work Culture
The workplace culture is different in every organization, and it’s a whole new concept for a fresher. Hence, adapting the work culture to avoid any awkward situations is mandatory. Observe how the people behave, become friends with at least one veteran, and choose a mentor. These things will help you learn the nitty-gritty of the organization, helping you adapt to the culture followed.
10. Be Dynamic and Work Smart
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Any person who comes with pre-conceived notions or rigid mental status will never be able to grow in the organization. It’s very important to be flexible and adapt to changes. Do not expect to do just what was mentioned to you during your induction session. Being dynamic and working smartly is the key to success. Working hard is an old concept. In today’s world, you need to work smartly as well as hard to thrive in this neck and neck competition, because you are new and competing with the experienced is tough, so you have to have a strategy of your own.
20. Take Initiative and Speak Up
Doing what has been assigned is not enough. To stand out of the crowd, you need to be on your tips. Take the initiative to start a new activity in your team or even speak up about a change if you think it’s needed, even if no one supports your idea. But make sure, you have a relevant logic behind it, or it might just ruin your go-getter attitude. Being in the eyes of the seniors for good things will always help you grow and make healthy relations in the organization.
The interviewers or talent acquisition team will never inform you about the real picture of the corporate world, but that will prove helpful to you as you will unfurl a strong and responsible side of yourself by facing various situations that you might have never thought of before. This will help you evolve into a new professional and dynamic person who is updated about the world and adapts changes positively. Remember, the only thing permanent in this world is Change.
