So, you've put years into finding the perfect job, first there was the twelve years of compulsory study to get your Matric, then you slogged it out for another stretch to get your degree. Well done! You've also attended enough career planning days to make you an expert on what's available and what you're suited to. You've trawled online job vacancies, signed up with recruitment agencies, gone through the interview process and finally landed the job you've been planning for your whole life. Now, the trick is to keep it and expand upon it.
That sounds pretty easy. Surely it's all about keeping your nose down and doing your job? Actually, it takes a little more effort than that. You see, the problem with an education is that it provides you with knowledge, not experience. The real world is a very different place to an educational environment. Think about it like this. You paid to go to school. Without doubt your studies involved course requirements, tests and a multitude of tasks that felt like work at the time, but essentially you paid for and received a service.
When you finally land a job however, they pay you to come in. This immediately elevates the level of service required. In reality school or varsity is nothing like the working world. In an educational environment there are systems and protocols to help you succeed. In a career, the onus is on you to make a success of it.
First jobs are challenging experiences. They'll force you to re-evaluate your worth, your work ethic and the management of your time and your priorities. If approached correctly, your first job will act as a springboard which will catapult you into exciting career opportunities and the lifestyle you've always dreamed of. Conversely, if you approach your first job incorrectly, you'll end up becoming disillusioned, disgruntled and generally unhappy with your life prospects. Not cool.
"I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience." - Yoda, Star Wars, Episode V
Everyone wants to impress on their first job, you know; create an impression, shake things up and generally make a name for themselves. That's fantastic. Employers love proactive people. Nobody is impressed by know-it-all little tits, with little to no understanding of current business practices though. In your first job, take a little time to get to know the business and don't be afraid to ask questions. If you have good suggestions, make them. Just don't charge in and try to change the entire structure of a business without knowing what's going on. The trick is to remain patient, learn the lay of the land and then go in with your suggestions and reforms.
"You have to come in on a professional level to make it..." - Ice T
Businesses operate on a very different set of laws to schools and universities. There is one exception though, brilliance, determination and professionalism are always recognised and rewarded. To achieve brilliance you need to keep your head down and do your job. You also need to take the initiative and go above and beyond of what is required of you. This means taking on the jobs that nobody else is interested in; it means finding possible flaws in the system and suggesting ways of fixing them. Basically it means using your own ingenuity and not waiting to be told what to do next or complaining when you have to stay on late.
Professionalism works on a similar set of rules, meet your deadlines, make sure you are punctual and don't try to bend the rules of the dress code. Make sure you handle your written and verbal communications in a manner that would make your mother proud and, above all else, pay attention to the finer details. Professionalism also means trying to avoid office politics and water cooler gossip. What you want to achieve with your first job is a reputation for being productive, proficient and a valuable member of the team, not a pot stirrer.
"No man is entirely worthless; he can always serve as a bad example." - Brian Oldfield
Every office has at least one employee who's rotten to the core. You'll probably figure out who they are in the first couple of days. They're the people who come in late or hung-over, make excuses, take ridiculous amounts of sick leave, have nothing good to say about their co-workers, leave early and generally disrupt the work environment. They're also pretty friendly to new employees, simply because they've alienated themselves from the rest of the office environment. As a new employee, you don't want to get lumped into the same category as these employees. If you can, try and keep your distance and focus on what you're there to do - your job. Befriending the office clown will not stand you in good stead, instead you'll get sidetracked and pick up a terrible work ethic, which could affect your entire career life.
First jobs are both exciting and terrifying. They form the basis for your entire working career through instilling work-ethic, maturity and professionalism. You may not love your first job, it might not be exactly what you were looking for, but it will act as a stepping stone to bigger and better things. Just remember that everyone in your office had to start somewhere, they all know what it's like to be a stranger in an unfamiliar office. In most instances, your co-workers will be happy to help you learn the ropes and get good at your job. Find someone who'll explain things to you when needed and demonstrate a commitment to improvement and you won't go far wrong.
Source: http://talentocean.co.za/magazine/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26:first-job-forays-
That sounds pretty easy. Surely it's all about keeping your nose down and doing your job? Actually, it takes a little more effort than that. You see, the problem with an education is that it provides you with knowledge, not experience. The real world is a very different place to an educational environment. Think about it like this. You paid to go to school. Without doubt your studies involved course requirements, tests and a multitude of tasks that felt like work at the time, but essentially you paid for and received a service.
When you finally land a job however, they pay you to come in. This immediately elevates the level of service required. In reality school or varsity is nothing like the working world. In an educational environment there are systems and protocols to help you succeed. In a career, the onus is on you to make a success of it.
First jobs are challenging experiences. They'll force you to re-evaluate your worth, your work ethic and the management of your time and your priorities. If approached correctly, your first job will act as a springboard which will catapult you into exciting career opportunities and the lifestyle you've always dreamed of. Conversely, if you approach your first job incorrectly, you'll end up becoming disillusioned, disgruntled and generally unhappy with your life prospects. Not cool.
"I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience." - Yoda, Star Wars, Episode V
Everyone wants to impress on their first job, you know; create an impression, shake things up and generally make a name for themselves. That's fantastic. Employers love proactive people. Nobody is impressed by know-it-all little tits, with little to no understanding of current business practices though. In your first job, take a little time to get to know the business and don't be afraid to ask questions. If you have good suggestions, make them. Just don't charge in and try to change the entire structure of a business without knowing what's going on. The trick is to remain patient, learn the lay of the land and then go in with your suggestions and reforms.
"You have to come in on a professional level to make it..." - Ice T
Businesses operate on a very different set of laws to schools and universities. There is one exception though, brilliance, determination and professionalism are always recognised and rewarded. To achieve brilliance you need to keep your head down and do your job. You also need to take the initiative and go above and beyond of what is required of you. This means taking on the jobs that nobody else is interested in; it means finding possible flaws in the system and suggesting ways of fixing them. Basically it means using your own ingenuity and not waiting to be told what to do next or complaining when you have to stay on late.
Professionalism works on a similar set of rules, meet your deadlines, make sure you are punctual and don't try to bend the rules of the dress code. Make sure you handle your written and verbal communications in a manner that would make your mother proud and, above all else, pay attention to the finer details. Professionalism also means trying to avoid office politics and water cooler gossip. What you want to achieve with your first job is a reputation for being productive, proficient and a valuable member of the team, not a pot stirrer.
"No man is entirely worthless; he can always serve as a bad example." - Brian Oldfield
Every office has at least one employee who's rotten to the core. You'll probably figure out who they are in the first couple of days. They're the people who come in late or hung-over, make excuses, take ridiculous amounts of sick leave, have nothing good to say about their co-workers, leave early and generally disrupt the work environment. They're also pretty friendly to new employees, simply because they've alienated themselves from the rest of the office environment. As a new employee, you don't want to get lumped into the same category as these employees. If you can, try and keep your distance and focus on what you're there to do - your job. Befriending the office clown will not stand you in good stead, instead you'll get sidetracked and pick up a terrible work ethic, which could affect your entire career life.
First jobs are both exciting and terrifying. They form the basis for your entire working career through instilling work-ethic, maturity and professionalism. You may not love your first job, it might not be exactly what you were looking for, but it will act as a stepping stone to bigger and better things. Just remember that everyone in your office had to start somewhere, they all know what it's like to be a stranger in an unfamiliar office. In most instances, your co-workers will be happy to help you learn the ropes and get good at your job. Find someone who'll explain things to you when needed and demonstrate a commitment to improvement and you won't go far wrong.
Source: http://talentocean.co.za/magazine/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26:first-job-forays-