We’ve just reached summer, which means many new college graduates are beginning their first post-graduation full-time jobs. For those new to the job market, this is the time to prove yourself and show you are a hard worker, dedicated, responsible, reliable, and a team player. Doing so will help you start to move up in the company and build your career. Here are some suggestions for first-time workers on how to stand out and prove themselves…
Excel at Your Role
Sometimes new employees are so focused on moving up the corporate ladder, they neglect the job they were hired to do. Before anything else, it’s important to make sure you are fulfilling the job requirements and performing all tasks you are assigned. Getting projects completed on time, with a high level of quality, should be your number one goal. This may take some time to master but is an essential step before taking on more duties and responsibilities within the company.
Help Out
It’s important to show you are a team player and want what is best for the company and not just yourself. Some ways to demonstrate this are by offering to help out your team either by assisting them with projects or helping train others. In an article on Forbes, they write, “Your immediate manager needs to see that you are supporting their efforts and those of the team. Be willing to help others by training or assisting them. It won’t go unnoticed. Give credit to others. This is tricky since you may think you should take the credit yourself in order to shine. It’s a balance that you have to maintain to ensure people know what work you are doing and at the same time feel good that you are acknowledging the great work of others. Some employees only speak of “I” as if they have done everything by themselves, while others use a blend of “I” and “We” language.”
Show Initiative
In the same Forbes article, they write “Be proactive. This can be trickier in a hybrid or remote job since if you’re there in person people can see you taking initiative and doing more than asked to do. If you are not physically at the office, you will need to keep your managers and colleagues informed as to what you are working on and how you are showing initiative. It’s not just about doing your own job, but about helping the company to be successful too.”
Be Positive and Grateful
While everyone experiences challenging and frustrating days, it’s important to overall have a positive, can-do attitude. When you’re new at a company, it’s important to show that you’re excited to be there and enjoy your job. How you show up at work will impact those around you, so you want to demonstrate that you’re happy to be there and grateful for the opportunity.