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Career Advice for Job Seekers

Things Graduates Aren’t Always Told Before They Start Their New Job

William Frierson AvatarWilliam Frierson
July 17, 2015


Pensive worried businesswoman biting her nails and looking off to the side with a serious thoughtful expression as she anticipates trouble

Pensive worried businesswoman biting her nails and looking off to the side with a serious thoughtful expression as she anticipates trouble. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

There are many wonderful prospects for students who have recently graduated from university, and they can now enter the world of their chosen profession and make it their own. Given a lot of knowledge will be fresh in their minds you could be forgiven for thinking they can dive straight in. However, there are many different aspects to the working world that some newbie graduates just won’t have a grasp of. After all, learning from a book and learning from experience are two very different affairs. Here we take a closer look at some of the things to keep in mind when starting a new role straight after you graduate.

High Expectations On Both Sides

If you get a good grade after completing your course you’ll likely be fairly confident in your abilities. It’s all too easy to become cocky or overestimate your skill set when you transition from student to employee, and this could lead to a few problems down the line. Likewise, your new employer may be expecting a certain level of knowledge from you and any degree of uncertainty could make them question your importance in the company. Your job won’t immediately be in jeopardy as you’ll be given plenty of chances to be trained up, but it is something to have in the back of your mind.

You Are One Of Many

You might have gotten the best grades in your class, and be the perfect star pupil. You must remember, however, that there are many other graduates like you that will want the same job. Standing out from a crowd that knows the same things as you do can be tricky, but it’s by no means impossible. A great way to appear more appealing is to learn more about the company and what they do. Showing that you care about the cause and not just the job role will give you an advantage, as well as brushing up on your people skills. It is important to remember that your job is not secure until you’ve proven yourself to be worthy.

The Endless Admin

With any high end job there is always a mountain of paperwork to fill in. Not only will you need to file your own personal paperwork such as your address and bank details but depending on your job you may need to deal with client paperwork as well. You must be sure to take care of client details carefully in order not to infringe on the Data Protection Act. There are also other things that will be of importance from knowing first aid, logging any accidents or injuries and so on. If you decide to become a sole trader you’ll have even more papers to fill including the likes of your tax return and any expense claims you may have.

It’s Just The Beginning

You can’t take on your new role expecting a certain level of respect. It could take you several years to gain true notoriety in your field, and just like everyone else you have to start from the bottom up. You also have to be realistic about what you’re capable of to avoid making empty promises, and be as proactive as possible. As much as you may have the knowledge they need to drive the business forward, you’ll still be a new member of the team and need to gain the respect of your fellow employees as well as your peers. It’s not all about what you know, it’s about what you can do and how you do it.

Author Bio

Amber Waddy is a content freelancer who writes for a number of websites. She has had experience writing about a range of intriguing topics from workplace injury advice to tips on summer gardening.

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