Got a job – Now what next? 

I am sure this could be true for government jobs however, people having big dreams never quit their efforts, government or private but there are very few in government sector, (sorry, but true). But in private sector the things stand a bit differently. You efforts don’t end with an appointment but you have to continue with added efforts.  In my views there are four easy ways for being a successful professional. You can easily reach to your target with careful planning, positive mindset, and continuous efforts and if you are a believer then keep Him in your prayers.

Let’s begin from the beginning

Now that you have successfully achieved your target after the interview, Tests and GD etc. and got a job of your choice, it’s time to show your skills as the first job of your career is the base or like foundation stone that gives a proper direction to your career. This is the time when you come out of your college mode and enter into the corporate word an entirely new phase of your life and too demanding which needs your full attention, care and the most of all your true self with no strained mentality whatsoever but a calm and cool professional. Let’s go through some of the essential requirements a fresh professional should posses.

Your first impression is important

We have all heard about it but how many of us care to continue with it is an important point but there should be no doubt that how you leave an impression on your seniors and colleagues plays a major role in your future career. Your managers and seniors keep a close watch on your behavior and work style although you can change your impression as per the requirement of the time but your first impression is always crucial. You should look what you are and always behave how you should – like a professional that will help you grow faster. Just look at the way a properly dressed executive and a casually dressed executive they give a different feeling to visitors irrespective of their skills.    

Punctuality plays a major role

It’s hard to follow but reaching office at fixed time every day, throughout the career is one of the most important aspects that help you grow in your career and more so when you join as a fresher and your seniors and HR managers keeping a close eye on your behavior.  So stop acting like a student who could afford to skip a period or two before reaching to college, (if you were really doing that). Let me share a secret with you, I always repeat always reported at least 5 minutes earlier throughout my career whenever I was in city of posting or to my clients’ office at our scheduled meeting hours. I waited outside for few minutes but never gave anyone a chance to tell me I was late. You can’t survive for long with such an attitude.

You should know your workplace 

I say this as every workplace is different from each other although the ethics don’t differ much but way of work and the way people behave during work known as work culture could well be different in every place.  So, keep a keen eye and adapt the ways but only the good ones as you may find people behaving rudely or unethically, some of them whining and others gossiping in every place and here you have to be the best judge whom to follow and whom not to, the choice is yours. I suggest you concentrate on your own work and avoid paying attention to all unproductive activities. That will serve no purpose in progress of your future career.

Professionalism is the key

We have heard so much about professionalism and professional people talking non-stop about it but what exactly is professionalism by the way? At least I have never heard or come across any business school having professionalism in their syllabus. No IIM conducts classes about this important aspect to any of its students but you have to learn it on your own. You can learn the art of professionalism watching others or following ethics properly of your own industry.  

Treat your coworkers politely and respectfully no matter what your job is. Set an example by being well behaved worker that will make others follow the suit and it will help you developing into a good professional on your way to top. There is another important rule for reaching to the top is you should never be lenient dealing with what’s expected of you but taking things seriously is surefire way of making you a better professional. 

Learn to accept your faults that help you learn several new things besides seniors will share their knowledge with you. Always complete your project within time limit and in case you feel you need more time to complete the job inform your superiors well in advance so they can look for appropriate action into the matter to recover the loss of time or add more people to team. 

You should know your job

To carry out your duties in a proper way you should know your job... sounds funny but that’s what I want to say that you should know properly what’s expected of you before you practically start working on a project. The best way to learn the intricacies is to sit with your seniors especially the immediate boss or in-charge of the project and go in the deep details of what is required of you. I hope you won’t mind if I say some of the newly appointed workers in their over enthusiasm do something that spoils the whole project but by the time they realize their folly that is too late. 

So sit with your boss and discuss the job in detail and clear your FUNDAS before jumping at the job, your boss is the best person to help you out. There is another serious suggestion for you that you should not try anything on your own unless you’re told to do something in particular, not in the beginning at least. Never try to interfere with others’ work unless you are asked for which may ruin the team spirit and harm your career in the process.

Coordination with HR

You should keep in touch with human resources department and cooperate with them unless all the formalities regarding you appointment and proper induction which in some cases take almost a month or longer according to your company rules. You should keep copies of all your necessary documents with you to avoid problems in case any information is missing in the records. Keep checking your attendance record. Let me bring it your notice that frequent absence from workplace is not considered a good habit and one should avoid it unless you must avail your leaves. Most companies keep a close watch on their employees taking too many leaves considering them as irresponsible. I have mentioned it before that it’s better to stay out of gossip groups.

I agree you will come in contact with coworkers and become close to them too but it will not be hard to know who is good to befriend. You will soon find out that some of your coworkers love gossiping and if you become part of such a group you will find some of the gossips interesting but you should follow the professional decorum instead of becoming part of the gossip. For your information most big companies especially in corporate sector have the provision of reporting all inappropriate or unethical action to a particular section of HR department. 

Keep a watch on personal reports

Personal reports better known as feedback are part of your job which is conducted by human resources department at a regular interval. Your manager reports everything highlighting positive and negative points in detail. You feel happy reading your positive part of the report but pay proper importance to your negative points which in my views are more important than positive points as they help you remove your weaknesses. I suggest you to talk to your manager and ask him to provide remedial suggestions so that you can improve faster. 

I have always believed that completing your work within stipulated time frame is the best way of doing your job but if it takes you a few minutes extra on a particular day, do not hesitate. But do not make it a habit of delaying things or work late as you have your personal life and over stressing yourself may become the reason of extreme tiredness resulting from mental, physical exertion or in some cases serious illness.     

Positive Approach 

We all are aware about benefits of positive attitude of a person and if a fresher has positivism added with politeness and practical approach towards life can do wonderfully well in his career. These are the basic qualities of a successful professional which go a long way in help setting the right direction of his career. A young fresher, finds it tough in adjusting himself to unknown environment or work culture of a particular company has no alternative but either find his way himself or take the help of his seniors. I would suggest take as much help of his seniors and at the same time keep endorsing their efforts without sounding excessive of flattery in your tone.

Everyone knows but…

There are a few well known facts that almost everyone knows but if you apply them in your workplace you will see the difference. Everyone knows that talking in high volume is no good n a workplace or talking with a tone of arrogance creates a negative atmosphere but I felt it bad while I first experienced it during my first job when I heard a deputy GM talking to a fresher in a rude and too arrogant tone. The fresher in front of him was absolutely puzzled and the people around also felt badly. 

Then we have the people who take personal calls on phone for long duration without considering they cause to others sitting near them besides wasting precious time which they could have used for a creative purpose. In all, your actions and behavior must display about your intentions, positivism towards coworker and the object of growth for the company you work. You must not only be a good speaker but a good listener too which shows that you take interest in everything for the welfare of all. 

Follow the instructions of seniors as long as you do not find anything absolutely wrong in them but share your thoughts with them if you feel they are worth sharing and while doing so keep a watch on the expressions on your boss’s face. I think this would be too much if I suggested you to respect all the workers without keeping their posts in mind and yes, double the amount of respect in case of female workers. Never try to be close with women employees but keep it up to a sober distance. If you manage to keep all these things in your practical behavior there is no reason why you should fail to achieve the desired results.   

The First Day

The first day of the first job is always so exciting which is almost impossible to explain in words for most of us, (but I will not take a chance as there are so many experienced people around). The day is not only filled with excitement but a mixture of amusement, a bit low on self confidence and curiosity of judging the reaction about self of the people present there. After all the first day at your first work place has its own importance and it will never come again. By the way-

- Are you there on right time or the boss is waiting for you?

- Have you kept your phone on silent mode?

- Do you have a notebook and a pen?

- Keep your tone and language in control 

- Accept suggestions with open mind, you have to learn a lot here

- Listen carefully, you will have enough time to talk later

- Last but not the least, treat everyone with care you have to spend one third of your time with them.

Image source- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Job