So you’ve finished your education and now looking to start work. Those long weeks and months studying have led to this. Those all-nighters will now become regular weekly hours, most likely to be 9-5 jobs. Starting a full-time job can be daunting, or even challenging, but there are things you can keep doing, skills you should still use in your new career to ensure success in the job.
Everything that you’ve learned up until this point will now be put into practical use. The skills you’ve developed will be used on a regular basis. But just how different will it be?
One of the biggest differences you will find is that you will be more accountable for what you do. Whereas during university or college you may have found that actions or being late for a deadline affects you and only you, at work you’ll find that such actions influences everyone around you. As your bosses and colleagues are more dependent on what you produce, not being able to perform means the productivity of the department or the business will slow, so the consequences are bigger. For our tips on what not to do at work, click here.
You will not just be accountable for yourself, but also your team. You may have had one or two group projects as a student, but rather than you getting an individual grade for how well you do, at work your performance will directly affect the team results or even the business as a whole. During your time in learning you strive towards an individual goal, while you’re earning there is a much bigger objective which the business aims to meet.
This means that working as part of a team is now more important than ever. Just as you may have found while studying, there will always be different personalities in the office. Some people may not get along with you or may have differing opinions.
The way you handle such situations will define how you move forward in your career. Here is how you can deal with workplace politics.
Within any company, there is always a need to communicate with either a member of management, co-workers or to customers for you and the business in general to succeed. Just as you may have had formal communications with your lecturers or tutors, you will have similar communications with your managers and colleagues.
Using the right tone and language will go long way in building a successful career. Even with the right body language, which you may have had to show during presentations before, will impress your employers.
If you are looking to start a new job, visit Kelly. Get in touch with us and we’ll find you the best start to a new career.