5 Things To Remember That Will Save You in Your First Job
Congratulations! You have made it to the finish line and successfully earned your degree. Now, welcome to the real world!
While you are giddily cheering in your toga, you probably also have to think about your future career. Fresh graduates are notoriously known for their naïve optimism in building their career. You think various “how-to-be-somewhat-employable” lectures you had on Monday mornings have prepped you enough with the secrets of working professionally.
I hate to be the one who break the news to you, but it’s not enough.
A fresh graduate myself, I blush every time I remember my simple brashness. I thought I got everything in the bag from hours of going through pages of Google about the job description but it turns out that I was totally blindfolded with my raw research about the work life. All of the office stories that my classes taught me were being thrown out of the window. Once I stepped in the working life, the atmosphere felt strange.
I was confused, clueless and careless.
Based on that first-hand experience as an oblivious fresh graduate on his first job, I have kindly build a list for my fellow young alumni. Thank me later, but you won’t be hearing these tips in your class. Therefore, let’s get your reading-head on!
1. You’re A Troubleshooter, Not A Problem Maker.
Workplace is always full of problems to be solved. This can be challenging for someone who is new to the climate. As the greenie in the office, the next logical move is to ask your boss for solutions, right?
This, my friend, is actually a very bad move. You just gave your boss two things to solve:
1. The problems, 2. Having you as his extra homework.
I agree that every problem has various degree of complexity to solve, but a better way to disentangle them is to take a step back and ask the question — what would the professionals do when they’re in this position? This will help you to tackle the problem like one. However, if you have taken these steps and the case grows to a bigger scale that is out of your league, it’s the best time to ask for inputs from your peers and superiors. Since it’s an input, you’re not asking for direct answer, but you’re asking people to give their opinion on your thoughts. So make sure to prepare several possible scenarios to solve your problems for your peers to review.
2. You’re The Boss (Kind Of?)
As an entry-level employee, you probably accept the basic principals of getting orders from your boss. You assume that you’re not allowed to think like your superiors since you’re ‘just’ a newcomer. Well, that is the danger of thinking like an everyday employee. You will never go forward because you let your position defines how you think. Never limit yourself to innovate and to solve problems like your boss. Be in charge of your work and take ownership of it. Every failure possibility that could happen in the company doesn’t only fall on your boss’ lap, but it also rests on your shoulders! Don’t be afraid to always put yourself in the position of your boss, especially when it comes to handling your tasks.
3. Everybody Thinks You’re Stupid, Anyway
In the first year of your working life, you have the full right to ask your coworkers about anything. Being inquisitive won’t make you look dumb — because let me tell you this; the whole office already think you are. This is the only time where people don’t expect you to be smart, might as well enjoy and learn from it.
However, asking can be a two-edged sword; you will gain more knowledge about something new, but if you pose too much ‘innocent’ questions, people will see you as an employee who never comes up with solutions. Asking is a normal thing to do, especially for the newbie in the office. So always feel free to ask and stay curious. After a year, you’ll find yourself levelling up and able to answer the exact same questions from the new greenie in the office.
4. Write, write, and write
Being an entry-level employee requires a lot of taking notes on meeting or tasks that were mandated to you. When we talk about ‘taking notes’, I don’t mean scribbling on your tablet or typing on your phone. I am talking about the traditional pen and paper. Not that we don’t appreciate the current technology, but writing on a REAL paper will help you to remember more things. As David Allen mentioned in his TEDx Talk, your mind is made for processing, not storage. You might also have heard that writing helps you to comprehend and remember certain things better. However, most first jobber misunderstood that taking notes is equal to jotting everything down; what you should do is to actively decide what’s important and how it relate to what you have already wrote.
5. Always, ALWAYS, Look Presentable
With a lot more offices being relatively fine with casual work attire, it’s easy to forget that you’re a professional who is expected to get things done. I learned the hard way that flip-flops and T-shirt doesn’t leave a good impression on a sudden meeting with potential client. I can assure you this, you never want to know how much loss you caused your company because you decided to wear something ‘comfy’ to meet business partners.
That being said, I want to remind you how long your journey will still be in the future. Your first job is not everything. Your first job is meant to be a learning experience for you to excel and become a better self. You’ll make stupid decisions, get some harsh reprimands, make shameful mistakes, but you’ll have fun. I’m still experiencing this myself and loving every minute of it. Hopefully, you’ll look back and see how far you’ve gone from your starting point!
Author: Alcander Alonzo
Editor: Septhiria Chandra
