Retail and food service jobs right out of school has become the norm for many of my peers. The harsh reality of life after graduation can be a hard pill to swallow. Due to a number of reasons outside of my control, my contract with my job is coming to an end this week and sadly, will not be extended.
I am still very much on the journey and learning as I go, but as I reflect on my first full-time gig after college I want to share a few reflections and insights. Granted, my experience has been very unique... working primarily from home, with flexible hours with one co-worker who I love, and a team based out of NYC who are some of the most talented people I have ever met. So pretty much the coolest first job ever. But it wasn't all a walk in the park. Here are some takeaways from my experience:
1. Relationships are Key
If you are reading this and you are still in college, get off your hiney (right after you read this post and leave lots of interesting and thought provoking comments) and get involved in something. It can be anything, really. Campus clubs, on or off-campus jobs, church groups, volunteering with an organization, etc. Ideally you would get involved somewhere of interest to you that could lead you down a career path that you enjoy. But the key is to get out there and meet people. Relationships and networking are invaluable when it comes to finding a job and the more relationships you can develop now, the better.
My job came about by a friend and two of my husband's jobs out of school came from existing connections that he had. When you are looking for a job and even after you settle into a job, keep building raport with people. Even if you are not a "people person" or you consider yourself introverted, taking those first steps towards getting to know different people in different contexts will result in a huge pay off later. I personally hate networking. Networking events are a breeding ground for awkward situations, but more often than not it is a lot scarier in your head than in reality. In case you're still not convinced check out these tips for networking as an introvert.
2. Entry-Level Tasks are Character Building
Let's face it, even some of the best first jobs require monotonous tasks. Part of "proving yourself" as an employee is demonstrating that you can take on those tasks with a good attitude. You don't have to love the task itself, but getting it done without complaining always bodes well. The age-old piece of wisdom is true: if you can be trusted with little, people will notice and will trust you with more.
I didn't love sending 400 emails every week and getting a 2% response rate, but the discipline it took to sit down every week and send those emails, (from the comfort of my home office no less!) taught me a lot about discipline and perseverance.
3. Develop Work Rhythms
This was especially vital for me since I worked from home most of the week. There are a lot of schools of thought on productivity and a lot of research and resources to back those theories up. Some of the most productive people I know or know of have a routine. Some days my routine was as simple as making my morning coffee, working for two hour increments, taking an hour lunch, two 15 minute breaks, and wrapping up my work day.The days I wasn't at home I worked at a co-working space downtown called The MAKERS Space. It was inspiring to be around other creative people and helpful to get out of the house every once and a while so that I didn't lose my mind.
Much of my work rhythms and productivity efforts were based on an incredibly helpful and FREE (music to a recent college grad's ears) e-book developed by Marketing guru, Matt Heinz. After a careful read-through of the E-book, I took what applied to me and left the rest, but at the end of the day it really helped me stay on track and not lose focus each day.
4. Immerse Yourself in Industry Best Practices
There are people out there who have been doing what you do a lot longer than you have and then wrote a book, gave a talk, or wrote an article about it. Even if you are working at a job just to pay the bills and you are unsure about whether you want to stay at that company or in that industry, it is smart to find out as much as you can about what thought leaders in your industry are saying. One great resource for industry thought leader resources are TED Talks. You can find expert's speaking on a variety of topics on their website.
Generally speaking, the knowledge that you gain in one industry can transfer in some form to another, and actually knowing what you're talking about in your place of work lends to people perceiving you as competent and a fast learner.
5. Glean as Many Learning Opportunities from Your Role as You Can
As you settle into a new role it is helpful to identify one or two people who are receptive to your questions and who are willing to function as a mentor in your place of work. I was very fortunate to be able to directly report to someone who cared about my professional development and invited my questions.
Even if you don't have an opportunity to develop this type of relationship with anyone at your work, observation can be very powerful. Being attentive to the work styles of the people around you is a great way to be intentional about learning what makes a good employee.
6. Take Initiative and Show You Can Solve Problems
It takes time to become an expert in anything and so it is unlikely that co-workers will be coming to you at your first job out of school asking you for direction or insight. As you dig in and learn more about your industry though, it is totally appropriate to voice your opinion about things and offer up your perspective.
Taking initiative and solving problems are desirable qualities in a new employee. I have been told this by numerous employers and Forbes confirmed this in an article they published called The 10 Skills Employers Most Want in 20-Something Employees.
7. Learn from the Best!
In an interview with Seattle Startup, Mixpo, serial entrepreneur and CEO of Rover.com, Brent Turner, talked about the importance of a professional mentor. There is something uniquely valuable about meeting on a semi-regular basis with an industry veteran to ask questions and gain wisdom. Taking a humble posture when you start anything new is a smart idea, but particularly when it comes to your career.
In the first few months of my job I started actively seeking out a professional mentor. We have been meeting on a monthly basis and it has made a world of difference.
8. Be Prepared
As you learn over time and develop new skills it is super helpful to keep track of everything you are learning by updating your resume and Linkedin profile on a regular basis. That way as you advance in your career you can look back and see the specific ways you have grown as a professional. Important things to keep track of are times when you were given more responsibility, quantitative shifts in your role, (like managing budgets or a team of people that grew over time) and any title changes, no matter how slight.
Linkedin is an increasingly important tool for professionals. Recruiters also use Linkedin to prospect for new employees. The professional landscape is always evolving and unfortunately there is no guarantee that any job is permanent. Keeping your Linkedin profile up to date is important for networking purposes and allows you to be prepared in the unfortunate event that you lose your job.
9. Take Chances
Have you been mulling over an idea that you think would really improve your department, but haven't brought it up to your boss out of fear that it might get shot down? Maybe you've thought up a better system for organizing client information but you assume you won't be heard because of your limited experience. If there's one thing that I've learned in the past year it's that it can't hurt to take chances! When done in a respectful way, proposing a new idea that will increase revenue or suggesting a new and more efficient way of doing something is never a bad thing. The worst they can do is say no!
When I pitched the idea to feature a small business in Seattle on my company's blog every month, I wasn't sure how our Senior Content Editor would agree to it, but she ended up loving the idea and started featuring my write-ups every month. The opportunity gave me a chance to get published and helped me to grow as a writer.
10. Your Job is not the End-all Be-all
Your first job is probably going to be overwhelming. There are going to be days when you get home and just want to pass out on your couch because you're so exhausted. There are going to be days when you feel undervalued or unappreciated. But there is one important and comforting fact in the midst of all that.
Your job does not define who you are.
It is just a small part of your life and it will not lead to your ultimate happiness. Your job is important and your first job out of college is a big deal, but it is just one step on a long road ahead.
For those of you who have been in the professional world for a while, what insights do you have to add?
What kind of experiences have you had in your first job out of school? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below!
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