One Year In: Tips and 'Fits From a Corporate Newbie

Wow, a whole 365 days as a working girl! I started my position at Pacific Life a year ago today, and as most of you reading this can relate, there’s a LOT of growth that comes with your early years in a first “real job”. Failing fast and learning faster is the name of the game in this season. Looking back at postgrad life so far, I'm sure most of my peers have been pleasantly surprised by their own agility. This chapter is no joke... and as the social person I am, I'm sharing mine with you.

As a fashion lover, getting dressed for the office has been one of my favorite rituals this year. If you follow me on other social platforms, you know I love documenting what I wear to work. It plays to so many of my passions. Another passion of mine is bettering myself. When thinking of what to post for my work anniversary, I originally wanted to write a quick update just to let people know I'm alive and working, but I am nothing if not an oversharer. I'm not the first to share unsolicited advice to my network on LinkedIn; however, I wanted to have fun doing it my way. So, staying true to my brand, I’m sharing both my learnings and my OOTDs. I am positive there's some kind of inspo for everyone here. Here goes nothing...

Don’t take yourself out of the game. I was hard on myself when I entered this industry because I felt like I knew nothing and everyone else knew everything. I was putting myself in timeout just out of fear of looking silly. You learn exponentially more when you kick yourself out of your comfort zone. Get comfortable being uncomfortable, stay on the court, & PLAY!!!

Learn what your leaders care about. Aligning your values with company/manager values is an easy way to ensure success.

Don’t adapt to the energy in a room, influence it instead. Negativity is a reality anywhere, but people remember how you made them feel way longer than remembering your day-to-day tasks. Influencing morale goes a long way, for yourself and for your professional relationships.

Use being new and young to your advantage. Set up time on anyone & everyone’s calendar. People are always willing to teach and help you learn, and it’s the easiest to make it happen when you’re shiny.

Document everything. Someone once told me that no one is paying attention to our work as much as we are. So, I keep a dashboard on Monday.com of every task, big or small, that I have. I record the who, what, when, where, why, how, results, & feedback. This has saved me hours on performance reviews and check-ins. Keep record of everything so you can brag on yourself when the time is right.

Be visible. Especially as hybrid has become my normal (and probably yours), I cannot stress how much visibility and accessibility changes perception. This means overcommunicating, going into the office, & camera on - always!!!

Don’t hide from your mistakes. Slumping in your chair feeling bad for yourself after bombing will get you nowhere. Failing is normal. Not knowing the answer is normal. Asking for help is a gift you give yourself and others.

Initiative is everything. Problem solve and show who you are without being asked. If you encounter an issue try to brainstorm a few solutions (even if you feel clueless) before you bring it to the team. Another way to show initiative is to tell your peers your skills loudly and proudly, but not waiting for people to ask you to prove it. Back yourself up immediately!

These next few nuggets are for my ADHD people. ADHD in adults is massively understudied; layer on being a woman with less obvious symptoms and you’re in a whole world of confusion when it comes to finding ways to adapt in the workplace. Here’s some hurdles I’ve noticed so far and my workarounds:

Task Paralysis: If tough/new tasks are feeling overwhelming, scheduling 30 minute sprints throughout the week up until the due date might help. Breaking it into chunks ensures it gets done while also making it look less big and scary.

Struggle with routine: I have 2 modes: hyperfixation and total distraction. This doesn’t usually fly when it comes to work. To get more comfortable with a constant routine, changing up the days by working from somewhere new, listening to different music, & rewards (think: sweet treat) every now and then are worth a try.

The little details: I love how meticulous I can be, but spending an hour moving a graphic around a PowerPoint slide wastes everyone’s time. The way I’ve been addressing this is by simply sucking it up. Controversial, I know, but radical acceptance that not everyone cares as much as I do about perfect placement or cute colors to the extent that I do has been incredibly freeing.

I hope this little show and tell of mine has been insightful for you! My heart is so full looking back at this past year.

To those of you in a similar boat: I'm so humbled to be part of a generation that lifts each other up. Keep working hard and keep in touch!

For everyone else: Thank you for allowing me to be a student of your experiences. It's a gift to learn from such brilliant minds every day.

Finally, a big thank you to all of you for taking the time to read my article. If anything sparked your interest and you would like to discuss further, please reach out! I would love to chat about any ideas or thoughts you might have.