Congratulations on the fantastic achievement of graduating college! You are eager to start that first job to set the course of your career trajectory! This job will be a great opportunity to learn the industry that you want to work in, begin to develop the skills you want to master, and build the relationships that will be a catalyst for your career growth.
Here are five ways you can make the most of being new!
1 – Be a sponge in every meeting. Whether it’s a 1:1, an all-employee meeting, or a meeting you are observing, you should be focused on two things: the content and the people. Your content notes can be valuable to your peers if they are trying to remember decisions that were made, the rationale behind the decision, or key statements and questions. After the meeting, ask your manager or peers about their notes from the meeting. Did you catch the most important information? Did they see or hear something different? Continually develop your content note-taking skills as you’ll need them your entire career. Also, observe the people in the room. Can you identify the decision-maker? Who is contributing the most value to the meeting and why? Ask your manager after the meeting for their take on the same questions. Build relationships with those who contribute the most value and emulate their best habits as you begin to add value to meetings.
2 – Ask questions. In meetings, write down any questions you may have. It may not be appropriate to ask the question at the moment. But your manager, peers, or mentor can answer them for you in your next 1:1. Not only will you learn key information by getting answers to your questions but you will also demonstrate to your manager that you are listening, learning, and engaged. Create a cheat sheet of acronyms or draw up org charts as a quick reference until you have a solid grasp of the information. I recommend putting this reference guide in the back of your notebook for easy access.
3 – Build your tribe. Identify who you want to build relationships with and the value you can get from these relationships. There will be your go-to people who can help teach you the company culture and information you need to be successful in your role. There are also mentors that can give you tips and advice on how to add the most value to the company and how to quickly grow within the organization. Invest in seeking advice from others: what was the biggest factor in their success, what was the best career advice they have received, how did they know they wanted to work in this industry?
4 – Have the right mindset. Your attitude is magnetic; it can attract or detract the right people to you. I have found the most success when I have had the service mindset and worked to make everyone’s tasks easier. That can be volunteering to schedule the follow-up meeting, sending your notes post-meeting, or offering to grab a coffee to someone who has been stuck in meetings all day. These little acts of service earn more responsibility for yourself and add value to your co-workers. Don’t be too good to do anything or be worried that it’s not within the scope of your job description.
5 – Own your development. Lastly, remember that your career is yours alone! Gain advice, leverage company provided growth opportunities, and plan your career path. Find the right mix of what your company will provide and what you will do on your own. Identify that dream job, develop skills that you want to have, and build your network outside of your current company.
Enjoy every step of your career journey! I came out college and landed my “dream job!” I soon learned I need to keep dreaming bigger and moving forward. Cheers to commencement and best wishes in an amazing career!
Jenn Uhen (Pronounced Genuine) 