Starting a Career and Job: Here’s What You Could Do
As a fresh graduate, entering the world of work is not an easy thing, especially if you are not equipped with qualified internship experience during college. Or even if you have internship experience, it may not be enough to give you a full real picture of the world of work. This will be more challenging if the first job you do after graduation is a job that is not in line with the college major you took.
In addition to having to adapt to a new role, new environment, new friends, there will also be many new things to learn, especially related to job descriptions for which you are responsible. Then how can you easily adapt and get used to all the responsibilities that must be done?
1. Document everything
You may take notes about your life while working. What are you doing, messages from your seniors or managers, lists of jobs you have completed, etc. With these notes you can review and reflect on what things you have learned and done.
2. Listen to understand
You may be thinking how to respond if a colleague or manager asks you a question. Communication is good, but instead of thinking about what answer you will give, try to focus on listening to understand.
3. It is ok not to know everything
At the beginning of your career journey, you will definitely feel that you don’t know a lot of things, no matter how smart you were in college or even though you have had previous internship experiences. One important thing about this is that this is normal. You just need to be honest and show your sincerity to learn and find out.
4. There is no perfection
Perfection is a myth. Mistakes do exist. The hope of perfection will only hurt all the progress you make. Appreciate all your efforts and make every mistake as a lesson and reflection for a better future. Cause you always learn more when you fail.
5. Create your work-life balance
Work will certainly take up your time. You may not be as free as when you were in college. A lot of your time goes by so fast during your routine work. You may be wondering if this life is really going to last forever? When can I have time to take a vacation, hang out with friends or just do a hobby that I used to do? One thing for sure is that you will never find a work-life balance but create one.
Taking on the first job may be daunting for some. But all can be passed well with sufficient preparation. The tips above are certainly not only for a fresh graduate who has just entered the world of work. Even if you already have previous work experience, you can do and invest what is written above to make your career life better.
-Northern Ingo-
