While the transition from student to employee is undoubtedly
a difficult one, some simple tips can make the shift much less intimidating. These
pointers will help you navigate the first year of professional employment. Instead of allowing negative feelings
like anxiety, uncertainty, or doubt to preoccupy you on the first day of the
rest of your life, take advantage of this straightforward advice to keep calm
and carry on.
Get Ready
1)
Review:
Look over the literature that you likely received when you were hired
for the job. Information about
vacation time, sick days, and payment methods specific to the company will be
included, and is expected to be common
knowledge among all employees.
Asking questions for which you were already provided the answer will
make you look irresponsible and unorganized in the employer’s eyes, so read up
beforehand!
2)
Dress:
…to impress! Employers like to see employees who respect and enjoy their
job. Spend some time at a local
suit vendor to select clothes that fit right, look professional and make you
feel confident. Confidence is the key to establishing
yourself as a valuable addition to the company.
Get Set
3)
Get Organized: Taking notes on your first day will make
you look sharp, organized and motivated.
This will set a great foundation for you to begin your new job, and you’ll
impress your superiors! Although
note taking may occur more often in college than in the corporate world,
continuing this good habit throughout your life will put you a step ahead of
your coworkers as well as help you focus and better understand what is expected
of you.
4)
Attitude:
During the first weeks of employment, anything can happen… so be
prepared. As noted in McGill University’s Career Planning Service,
it is crucial to be “positive and flexible” during your first year of
employment. Since your workflow probably
won’t become concrete for the first few weeks, volunteering to help with
whatever you can and exuding a positive
attitude will make you stand out amongst other employees.
5)
Initiative: Make a point to introduce yourself to coworkers. Rather than waiting for other employees
to introduce themselves, be outgoing and take the initiative to begin the
introduction. Not only should you apply this to peers
and coworkers, but McGill University also recommends that you “get to know your boss.” This advice may
seem like a no-brainer, however, getting to know your boss is one of the best
ways to get recognized internally and move up at a company.
6)
Attention: Don’t overlook any details during your first year on the
job. Your superiors will be carefully
checking your work, so it’s important to be careful not to miss anything. Make sure you dot your I’s and cross
your T’s if you want to find success during the first year of your new job.
GO!
7)
Culture: As highlighted by the University of Missouri Career Center,
be sure to “learn the organizational culture” at your new job. Employees who understand the management styles and reward mechanisms their employers use
will be more likely to benefit than those who don’t take the time to understand
the company culture.
8)
Position: Employees are encouraged to “learn their place” in order to
make the biggest impact on their company’s profitability. The connotation here is not one of
penalty or ability, but rather, refinement and
productivity. In college, we were
taught to speak up, but make sure you pause and think before doing so. It is not to say that companies or
employers do not value your opinion, but you
must be careful not to waste their time on redundancies or trivialities. Therefore, know your position and what
contributions are expected of you.
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