Landing your first job is exciting, however, it’s not easy to navigate your career and grow faster. Starting your first job in right place and taking these steps to start your career on the right foot can help you set yourself up for a successful career. Before we help with those steps, here is the survival checklist that you need to know if you’re a fresh college graduate and starting up. If you need to talk to our expert and want to know how we can help, check this out.
Know your job well
Learn about your role, and talk to your boss before they have to come to you and tell you your job. In those first days, learn from how people are doing their jobs and deliver your best.
Adopt the right attitudes
Be flexible, adaptive, and open-minded. Professional life can be a lot more demanding than college. Always be ready to go the extra mile and take up new projects.
Build effective relationships
Networking and building long-term relationships are key to growing in your professional career. Keep in good books with your team always.
Acquire knowledge, skills, and abilities
Employers expect you will need ongoing development. Become savvy and constantly upskill.
Now coming to the steps we talked about at the beginning of this post,
You need to take full advantage of this opportunity to kick-start your professional development. Here 5 steps you should take to make the most of your first job and set yourself up for a successful career.
Step 1: Identify Your Career Goals & chart your career map
Your first job could be a stepping stone and lays the foundation for your long-term career growth. Learn about the prospects of your first job, and career growth opportunities, and start setting goals for moving up the ladder. See who are the best in your field, study them, and focus on growth.
Step 2: Get to Know Your Team
You’ll want to develop strong relationships with your immediate co-workers. Getting to know the people you work with day today will help you fit in with your team. Be attentive in team meetings, enroll in all the company events and make sure you step out for coffee or lunch with your team.
Step 3: Expand Your Skill Set
Your first job is your first opportunity to challenge yourself and it may be outside your comfort zone. Do a swot analysis and see where you’re lacking and chart a development plan to learn new skills.
Step 4: Find the Right Kind of Mentor for You
Having your own personal career coach, someone to bounce ideas off of and learn from on a regular basis is invaluable. But finding a mentor is quite challenging. Don’t worry if you’re not able to find one in your company, talk to our experts at SkillPad. Book your free demo today.
Step 5: Learn about the Company’s True Hierarchy
Talk to your HR team and know about the top leadership team. Study the organization chart and see what is your next role.
Develop your professional brand
Make sure to keep a check on how you’re progressing — document your key milestones, key learnings, and all small accomplishments. This can help you track and measure your professional development.
