First jobs are exciting. I remember how carefully I chose my outfit to wear the night before my first day and how I woke up extra early that morning raring to go.
“You only have one opportunity to make a first impression”
At the time I was so young and thought I knew so much. I was excited by all the career possibilities. There was so much to learn and so many people to learn from.
In that first job I was so lucky to have a mentor to show me the ropes. She pushed me to do better and really helped me navigate my way through the corporate structure.
While thinking about that first job (the one that gave me the experience I needed to move onto my next opportunity) I reflected on how much I gained from that experience.
Although I’m sure I would’ve eventually learned these lessons, I’m glad I had the right environment to learn them in. Here are just a few of the things I learned that made me a stronger person and better employee.
♦ Be respectful. Give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Everyone has something they can contribute and there is something to learn from everyone.
♦ Be assertive. Advocate for yourself. No one will hand you a raise or promotion. You have to seek it out and put in the effort.
♦ Be a team player. Be aware of what’s going on. Help others and be kind.
♦ Be proactive. Don’t just complain about the things you don’t like, come up with solutions.
♦ Be responsive. Bosses and clients like to know you are working for them. Communication is key… even if things are taking longer than expected.
And there you have it. Just a few quick lessons I’ve learned along the way that have really helped me in my career.
What would you add to the list?
Until next time,
Shaindy
