New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Graduates look to set themselves up for success
Put everything you have into this job, entry-level or not. A job isn’t talent and schooling alone, but also work ethic and attitude.
The latest crop of college graduates have matriculated through four-year schools in Connecticut and many of them are now looking for entry into the job market. It’s an annual occurrence for this time of year.
With the economy and state now nearly reopened in full following the disruption of COVID-19, there are certainly opportunities out there for young people who are looking to begin their careers. Yet many of them will find breaking into their first job difficult, and for reasons that go beyond shortages in their desired field. Certain job markets will always be more robust than others, but some newly minted graduates will face added, self-imposed obstacles such as not finding the perfect fit or having unrealistic expectations.
These should not be impediments for those just starting out in the adult workforce, yet unfortunately often times they are. So how can this group of 2021 college graduates avoid the mistakes made by those in previous classes and get onto that career path early and seamlessly?
There are several key steps.
Go to work, whether it’s the ideal job or not. This might seem obvious, but believe it or not it has been a major issue in recent years. We all want success in our desired fields and to do our dream job on our own terms, but it’s fantasy to think it happens right away. After all, who among us reached our ideal career, salary and job situation at age 21 or 22?
Here’s the good news — employers need people right now, after more than a year of having to operate with greater austerity and with smaller workforces. What employers want more than anything are young people who are hungry, who can come in right away and prove their value. If that means starting lower than you may have thought and working your way up, that’s fine. It’s called “work” for a reason — you have to establish yourself before becoming a star, and shouldn’t feel entitled or that you are owed something from the start.
First jobs can be humbling, but there is a myriad of opportunity. Dress well and emulate your boss — try at all times to not just look the part, but to look better than the part. Learn everything — at this stage you should be a sponge for information and knowledge, and this builds value. Maybe it’s not exactly what you envisioned yourself doing, but if it’s in the general field there is always room to move — it’s difficult to tell a young person to be patient, but it’s reality.
Put everything you have into this job, entry-level or not. A job isn’t talent and schooling alone, but also work ethic and attitude. You’re not just punching a clock but starting a career, so you should act like it. Trust me when I say the right people will notice.
Always work to make your boss look good. Your boss is the center of your vocational universe at this stage, and face it, if your boss looks good, you’ll look good. Just because this person is ahead of you on the career ladder doesn’t mean you don’t have plenty in common — we all have goals and interests and work, at its most base level, is about people.
Many bosses have bosses themselves, and just like you, they want to be viewed in the best possible light. This is how people start to champion you — support your boss and think of yourself as an extension of that person. It will pay off.
Remember that every job is preparation for your next
job. Very few of us ever finish up our careers in the exact place we start. Maybe this was true for the greatest generation or even the baby boomers, but millennials will move around a lot rather than stay in the same place for that long a period of time.
Still, this job should be of the utmost importance to you right now. It’s an education on how the workforce works and your chance to make yourself better. Think of athletes or musicians — where would they be without practice to get ready for the big performance or big game? Whether you love your first job or not, that’s how this should you should look at it — as practice for the big (or bigger) game.
This is an exciting time for college graduates — a career to start, a skill or trade to hone and a new path you get to shape yourself. So embrace this time, be present and treat this as the invaluable learning experience it truly is. If you can do that you will be setting yourself up for future success.