Navigating the World of Work
Many students and graduates are not sure about what to expect at their first job. This section will inform you about what you can expect and what is expected of you.
1. You have to prove yourself
As a new employee at your first job you need to prove yourself. You are given a job to do and you must show the employer that you can do the job and do it well. You need to be open to learning, produce good quality of work, show a keen interest in what you do and be focused.
Make sure that your work is always aligned to the organizations objectives that means you also have to know what the organisation's objectives are and how the work you do contributes to the bigger picture. You will be given a number of tasks; some may be relatively easy for you to do but some may be quite challenging, it is important for you to do your best in producing the work expected of you as it is expected or even going above what is expected. If you do are not sure of what is expected of you should not hesitate to enquire. Ask and get clarity if you do not understand something. Make sure that you consistently meet deadlines as well and if you cannot meet a particular deadline ensure that it is with a very valid reason and communicate that reason with your supervisor.
2. Be open to learning
You might have been the top achiever in your class or have had other experiential learning; you need to allow yourself to be a learner in every environment. You may share your knowledge and experiences, however, also allow yourself to learn from others. Moving to a new environment, you get to meet new people who have different experiences, you need to make good use of those people as a source of knowledge. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions provided they are open to receiving questions, make sure it is people who are knowledgeable and can give you good, solid advice. Accept that you will be treated like a "newbie" and be willing and open to learning.
3. Understand and acclimatize to the organisation
Different organizations conform to different cultures. You need to understand and comply with the norms of the organisation. You may find that an organization is not what you had anticipated it would be but that should not stop you from being a full member of the organization. You need to be aware and sensitive to how things work and the unsaid truths. If you are able to grasp the gist of how things are and how you are expected to behave then you are in a good space to work within that particular organization.
4. You may not be doing exactly what you studied or everything you studied
While you were studying for your qualification you had to do numerous modules which when combined made a full qualification. In your new job there is a great chance that you might be doing a very small portion of what you studied. Depending on what is needed within the organization you have been employed by you may be doing something related to what you studied but not quite what you studied. The knowledge you have acquired through your study journey reflects as a frame of reference towards your work. This is a reality for most entry level jobs. You need to be aware of it and manage your work accordingly.
At times there is a great chance that you will not be doing what you want to do in the manner you want to do it or you were taught to do it at university or college. You need to adapt to what is required of you at the time. Later in your career you can specialise but at the moment you need to learn as much as you can and develop the skills you already have.
