8 things to remember as you begin your first job as a graduate

Article written by Emily Packer FHEA and Claire Guy FHEA RCDP, Careers Consultants at the University of Plymouth

1. You can enhance your well-being through your work

You may have spent much of your time at university supporting your community through volunteering or being part of a sports team. Why should that stop now?

When you start your role and are looking to find ways to become part of the team or to find a new way to contribute, ask about volunteering or pro-bono activities. They can offer great well-being benefits.

Tips to get involved:

#1 Get fit for others: If you are into your fitness, or want to get fit, then find out if your company competes in local or national marathons. Businesses often do this to make money for charities. Getting fit with your work-mates can be a great bonding experience!

#2 Share your knowledge: Does your organisation offer their services free of charge to the community? For example, free legal advice? Enquire as to how you could get involved with those days/events.

#3 Inspire: Does your organisation support local schools with reading schemes or a mentoring programme? Perhaps you could use your career journey to inspire a young person or support them to develop a skill of their own.

#4 Support the environment: Your organisation might take part in beach-cleans as a group – get to know your colleagues, give back to the environment and support your wellbeing by getting out for fresh air.

#5 Start something new: If you have a passion for giving back, then get others involved. If your employer is not currently taking part in any initiatives then, when you feel ready, approach them with your ideas to give back.

2. Your first job doesn’t define you 

If someone asked you to buy a flat without looking around it first, you’d probably think they were crazy. Similarly, if you were asked to go on year-long romantic break with a stranger, you’d definitely think twice. In most situations in life, it is very unusual to commit to something that you hadn’t tried out first.  

 The same is true for careers, except most graduates think it isn’t. Just because you take a graduate job doesn’t mean you will do that job for the REST OF YOUR LIFE. It just means you’re following your curiosity, trying something out. In modern times, most people have multiple jobs within the first years after graduating. So, don’t get paralysed by fear of commitment- think of your first role as a continuation of your learning, and an initial exploration of a possible career.  

3. People Matter 

Starting a new job gives us that ‘new’ feeling – like getting on the school bus for the first time, auditioning for a performance or doing trials for a club or society at university.

It’s hard being new – hey, it’s hard being a human – but connecting with people can make it so much easier. Finding a friend at work, or arranging for someone to mentor you, and building a professional network can help support your career goals as well as your personal wellbeing. Plus it’s good for business.

1. It can take time to find a friend at work – collaborating on a project or finding someone with a common interest in an area you are passionate about can be a great way to start conversations.
2. Your mentor doesn’t have to someone above you – the best mentors are able to challenge you and have strength in areas you lack. Be proactive in thinking about what type of person you think can help you. Be interested in everyone you meet and if they offer a coffee to talk things through – take it!
3.  Networking may be a part of your job role as it builds your client base or keeps up the company profile – but networking for your own development means you stay up to date with professional peers. You can do this internally, at special events or perhaps through events run by your local Chamber of Commerce. 

Remember – opportunities are connected to people and not places.

Why not:

1. Watch Susan Cain talk about ‘The Power of Introverts’ in her TEdTalk:

Read: Karen Young’s article about finding a career mentor here

Ready to become a mentor at the University of Plymouth? Apply here

4. Use social media wisely

Some social media platforms are a definite YES for graduate professionals- LinkedIn for one! Why not update your headline, profile and even add a shiny new picture of you in your smart work gear and let everyone know about your fabulous new job? You can be strategic and connect with your new colleagues while you’re at it. 

5. You’ve probably got some work to do to become a “professional”

 Is “being professional” simply doing your job well? Unfortunately not! Professionalism is a set of behaviours which demonstrate that you are capable, dependable and respectful. Professionalism means knowing when and where to:

• speak or listen
• lead or follow
• agree or challenge

Professionalism isn’t something you can learn from a textbook. It is something that you learn over time by observing others in your workplace. However- some key professional behaviours to get right from day one are: be reliable- turn up on time and do what you say you’ll do. If you make a mistake or can’t deliver- make sure you admit to it and try to put it right. Don’t even get me started on email etiquette!

6. Failure is an opportunity for growth

It’s easy to feel that we have to be perfect all the time, that making mistakes means we are not good enough. Even if 99% of the time we get it ‘right’ – for those of use prone to self-criticism, that 1% can keep us awake.

Then comes the realisation that our new job, despite being exciting, is going to mean a steep learning curve. After a challenging week sometime the negative voice inside us shouts: “I’m going to quit” or “I’m clearly not cut out for this”.

But failure and mistakes are how we grow. You didn’t get it right first time? You said say something embarrassing in a team meeting? You are facing new challenges? Good – it means you are learning. Building your resilience can bring a host of benefits for your career (ICAEW).

Resilience is built through practice and makes us stronger – it is a tool that helps us get through difficulty. In the workplace, being able to reflect, rationalise and importantly, ask for help without fear, is key to progress.

In her TEd talk Angela Lee Duckworth explains the science behind Grit and Resilience as a tool for success.

You may also like to try John Lees’ book ‘Secrets of Resilient People’

7. The most successful people don’t stop learning

You have finished your degree, taken additional courses along the way and even reflected on your progress along the way – so you’re done now – right?

Keep going, keep being curious and searching for your new challenge.

If you are in any type of profession that has self-reflection at its core you will already know how important staying up to date with your skills development is, but personal reflection and future-proofing our skill-set can easily wall by the way-side when we are busy or embarking on a new career. The world of work is changing and thinking about how you may fit into its future will keep you motivated and ready for change.

“…to stay ahead, you need to focus on your ability to continuously adapt […] we should remember that intellectual complacency is not our friend and that learning – not just new things but new ways of thinking – is a life-long endeavour.” Blair Sheppard Global Leader, Strategy and Leadership Development, PwC (PwC ‘Workforce of the Future’, p. 4)

Resources to support Continuous Professional Development

• FutureLearn is an online learning portal with courses in a range of topics from literature to mental health, accounting and coding. Courses are provided by global universities and start from free of charge.
• Your employer may have access to LinkedIn Learning which offers short courses and useful videos on networking, managing and core technical skills.
• If you are undertaking any professional qualification through your employer, you will be well on your way to your new professional development journey – but regardless, professional bodies can offer support and advice on career and skills development. Seek out the main professional bodies and institutes for your industry and sign-up for their sites, particularly their graduate specific areas (fo example CIMA’s GradClub). 

8. It’s ok to ask for help

In your first role as a graduate, I can almost guarantee that you will make mistakes. After all, to err is human. Just as I know mistakes are inevitable, so will your new boss and all your colleagues. So don’t be afraid to ask for help, or to admit that you don’t understand something, or to confess that something is not going well. Everyone will prefer that you ask for help, and do something to address the problem, rather than carrying on regardless.

It’s also possible that you might discover that this role isn’t what you hoped for, or that it’s really not a good fit for you. This is fine too (although try and give it some time to be sure!). We know that this can happen, and that’s why support from the Careers Service at the University of Plymouth is available for up to 3 years after you graduate. So, if things don’t work out, you want to change direction or you just feel lost, get in touch. And don’t worry if you’ve left Plymouth, or even the UK- we can help via Skype, email or phone too.

Claire and Emily are Careers Advisers from the University of Plymouth. Claire and Emily work together on a range of projects including workshops and articles to support students and staff at the university to embed careers work into their curriculum. At the heart of their work as Careers practitioners is the well-being and empowering nature of quality careers guidance. If you are a student or graduate of the University of Plymouth then please do be in touch.