It’s graduation season. Thousands of high school and college graduates are walking out of their classrooms and into their careers. A person’s career is a story – a story of growth, change, and success. But how do you become successful? How do you advance?
Truly, when I was in college, I thought you had to be a business genius to survive in the professional world. You had to have the best ideas, work the most, and be the smartest person in the room. How could I ever be enough? I learned that is SO untrue. The truth is, the world is full of successful people just as “average” as you. Don’t let your fear of not being “enough” (smart enough, connected enough, ambitious enough) stop you from starting a job in a field you could love.
Here’s what you NEED to do in order to succeed at your job:
1. Be on time.
Never, ever be late. Even if it doesn’t seem like a big deal, trust me when I say that someone will notice if you are consistently late to arriving, late to meetings, late to reply to messages, etc. No one ever gets mad at someone for arriving on time, but you are sure to annoy people with tardiness.
2. Have a good attitude.
Say good morning. Say “absolutely!” when someone asks for help or assigns you to a project. You don’t have to be fake – just be genuinely kind, respectful, and friendly.
3. Be responsible.
You don’t have to be flawless to succeed. You can and will make mistakes at your job. That doesn’t mean you will fail. Take responsibility for your mistakes, never try to shift the problem on someone else; Be honest and try to not repeat them. Perfection doesn’t exist but personal responsibility does.
4. Be a lifelong learner.
You don’t have to spend hours each evening reading. You don’t have to have all the answers to everything – that is what Google is for. Spending a little time keeping up to date on the latest in your job industry and putting efforts into personal growth will go a long way though.
5. Take care of yourself.
Get sleep. Eat good food. Get outside. If you have an unhealthy life and don’t take care of yourself, it will eventually trickle into your work. Your co-workers won’t value you more than you value yourself.
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I really do think you will stand far above your peers if you simply do these tips & tricks! Don’t stress about the next steps. Just take it a day at a time. You’ve got this!
To learn more on navigating a new position, click below:
Employee Benefits to Look For at Your First Job – The Everyday Advisor
