How I learned to succeed in my first job after college 🙌

Congratulations on embarking on your journey into the professional world! Don't worry, even if you're in the process of seeking your dream job.

Your first job after college or university is always an exciting milestone filled with opportunities for growth and development. There are a few things you can do to ease this transition.

What is the first thing you do when you meet a new person? Observe, right? Observing their behavior and asking questions would be our strategy to get to know new people better. Similarly, observation and asking questions are the key to understanding your organization.

When I joined my first workplace, it was a totally new world with new life and people. One of the key steps that helped me was my initiative to observe the surroundings, including my colleagues' behaviors, workflows, and company culture.

I also started asking my colleagues work-related questions, which worked as an icebreaker. Asking questions demonstrates your eagerness to learn and adapt to the role. It's not just about asking questions — you also need to share your knowledge with the team and seek help or guidance whenever needed.

And most importantly, be mindful of the conversations you engage in. Avoid gossip or negative talk and focus on constructive dialogue that fosters positive relationships.

This is the right time to learn and work on your skills as well! When you're in the workplace, try to learn everything you can. Embrace a continuous learning mindset and stay updated on industry trends, tools, and technologies relevant to your role.

In my first job, I had the opportunity to manage the learning platform for new projects. I took that opportunity to learn more about the learning platform, its features, and its possibilities. Later, I got more projects on the learning platform and also had the opportunity to train my colleagues on using it.

In addition, whenever you have multiple tasks or projects, focus on tasks that are the organization's priority. I always used to list my tasks. Using sticky notes, a daily work notebook, or even new digital tools will help in tracking your projects.

Also, reflect on your strengths and weaknesses. Leverage your strengths and work on improving areas that need development. After a while, I started focusing on areas of improvement. I attended online courses to improve my skills and gain the latest industry knowledge relevant to the job.

In the long run, your work ethic plays a critical role in career success. Some key elements that I adopted include taking responsibility for tasks, following through on commitments, meeting deadlines, being open to change, and being willing to learn new skills and approaches.

Open-mindedness: Approach every opportunity with an open mind and a willingness to learn and adapt to new challenges. I used to get projects that were new to the organization. In these situations, I made the effort to research and learn how to accomplish the new project successfully, which helped me take the lead on future projects.

Work-life balance: Maintain a healthy work-life balance to prevent burnout and sustain long-term productivity and well-being. It's your responsibility to stay healthy beyond work. Always make sure to take enough breaks and practice a healthy lifestyle.

It's your turn! To start progressing in your career, take the following steps: