Joining a new job is a task to begin with but to join your first job is a real challenge. When you’re fresh out of college and you get a job, you’re on the top of the world. It is a step closer to fulfilling your ambitions. However, with all that excitement comes the nervousness because you just don’t know how to conduct yourself.
There are so many questions in your mind and barely anyone to answer it. And when you don’t have an answer to questions, you make mistakes. These are very rookie mistakes and can be totally avoided. Doing and not doing certain things will only add to your professional reputation, something you need to build right from day one.
Hence, we bring to you a list of lessons that will make sure you only see success at your first job:
1. Arrive on time for a good impression OR the employer will assume you have other disciplinary issues as well
Companies deal with people who are not serious about work all the time. The thing is, if you come in late the first few days, your seniors will assume you have other disciplinary issues as well. Arriving late to office, that too when you’ve just started your career, will give a very negative impression to your employer. Moreover, it will put you under the radar. All your actions will be under the scanner and instead of waiting for you to perform, they’ll anticipate the moment you mess up.
2. Accept that you’ve just started out and it will take time for you to bag the work you really want
Everyone takes on a job thinking they’ll innovate and change the whole system. But we tend to be too impatient in the beginning. We forget that the bosses who manage us took years to reach that point. Don’t give up on a job or career only because you’re not getting the work you want or you think that they’re giving you minor work which isn’t making a difference. Learn, do justice to the work you get, and stick around to grow.
3. And if you really want the work you desire, never miss a deadline
If you want to make a space for yourself and get the work you want, make sure that you never miss a deadline. Just like coming on time is a disciplinary issue, keeping up with deadlines is a more professional issue. Don’t make your boss think twice about why they hired you. Hence, giving work on time or a little before time, is what will get you far in your profession.
4. Ask your boss questions in order to bond with them but don’t ask stupid things
It is very important for you to bond with your reporting manager. You need to have the confidence to pitch different things to your boss and this confidence will come to you only if you know the sort of person you’re dealing with. The best way to start the interaction is to ask questions about the profession. However, make sure your question isn’t a pointless one.
5. Don’t be scared to pitch your ideas even if they sound stupid in your head
You’re new and your own ideas may seem stupid to you but you’ve got to pitch them to gauge the response of your seniors. Even if your idea isn’t appreciated by them, you’ll know what they don’t want. Moreover, seniors usually try to see your enthusiasm and guide you with your pitches. The aim is to present ideas which will be beneficial for the company and this is something you’ll learn only with the trial and error method. So go ahead and pitch away.
6. Try to portray yourself as a confident individual
First jobs can turn any person into a nervous wreck but on your first day at your first job, you need to at least act confident. Your seniors need to know you’re not a jittery person on the verge of messing things up. Even when you have to tell them you don’t know how to do a certain thing, do it confidently. They need to know you’re ready to learn and get over your newbie status.
7. Don’t tend to personal business when you’re in your professional space
Until and unless it is a grave emergency, do not take personal calls, especially not for long periods of time. Everyone has a personal life beyond office and no one will stop you from going about it once you’re done with your work. However, to be taken seriously, you need to convince your seniors that your work is your priority.
8. You may be a social media freak but try not to add your colleagues to it too soon
Yes, the prospect seems interesting. Yes, you want to add all of them as friends. However, if you add them to your social media profiles too soon, without knowing them as people, it may just backfire.
9. Do not get drunk at office parties
In the professional world, when they say ‘party’, they do not mean it in a college kinda way. Now, you’re probably used to loud music and dancing after getting drunk. You’re probably also excited about the prospect of so much alcohol, all for free. But when you’re with office people, try not to get sloshed and do things you won’t remember the next day. You may also misbehave and get yourself in real trouble.
10. Do not overwork yourself right in the beginning
Don’t end up taking too much work load right in the beginning. If your boss tells you they need an assignment in 5 days, don’t try to finish it within a night. This won’t just affect your health but also the quality of your work. Yes, you have energy and ideas. Yes, it is a good idea to present work before time. But do not give yourself unrealistic deadlines when your boss gives you a realistic one.
