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You're Hired!
By Karen Rothenberg , Graduate Career Counselor

Congratulations! You got the job! Now the hard part is over, right? Well, not exactly…

Starting your first job is always a challenge because you want to establish yourself as a strong employee in the organization and prove to your employer as well as to yourself that it was the right decision to hire you. At the same time, you will probably find that work life will be very different than life in college and it is natural for your first year to be an adjustment.

At the beginning, you may feel that your main goal is to perform the duties and tasks of your job to your best ability. titlehough this is extremely important, three other goals of your first year on the job can be equally important to both you and your employer. These are: earning credibility, respect and acceptance.

These goals are vital since you will be judged on your behavior as much as on your work performance. In addition, first impressions are lasting. What your employer and colleagues see in you during your first year will establish your future in the organization as well as your own habits for years to come.

There are four main areas to focus on which will help you achieve your goals successfully : Yourself, Your Colleagues, Your Organization and Your Work Tasks.

Yourself

• Adopt a positive attitude. Leave all negativity at the door. People want to associate with colleagues whose attitudes are positive and are not going to bring them down.
  
  
• Keep an open mind. Don't be too quick to judge the people, company or job. They all may be different from what you are used to but that isn't always a bad thing!
  
  
• Be willing to follow the lead of others. Remember, others have been at the company longer than you have. They already have been through their initial adjustment period and have learned the ropes. Take their lead.
  
  
• Dress professionally for your current position, as well as for the next one you want . Your appearance will indicate to others a lot about you and how seriously you take your job. titlehough you can maintain your sense of style, follow the basic attire of others.
  
  
• Be willing to ‘pay your dues'. It may seem to you as though some of your responsibilities are too easy for you or do not utilize your college degree. This may be part of how the company wants you to prove yourself and it is a great way to show that you are a team player. It is important to keep in mind that most people have some responsibilities at their jobs which they may feel are beneath them or they may not love to do. Don't complain, just pitch in!

Your Colleagues

• Get to know your colleagues. A job is not just about the actual work you do. It is also about forming relationships with your co-workers. Get to know them on a personal level as well as a professional one.
• Participate in your department's social functions.

Whether it is going to a birthday celebration or having drinks after work, it is a good idea to attend. These are great ways to get to know people outside of the regular office setting and to become a part of the group.

• Do not form alliances early on. Be friendly with everyone. Without knowing how your colleagues are perceived by others, at first it is important not to be associated with any one group in particular. Besides, it is always a good better to make friends rather than enemies.

Your Organization

• Learn the company's culture and adapt to it. Company culture is defined as an unwritten and often unspoken set of rules and norms about how employees should behave in the organization. Each company has a unique set which is vital to assess and adhere to in order to adjust successfully.
  
  
• Observe how the company and department operate. How do things get done in the organization and what is seen in the organization as positive performance? Once again, watch others around you and learn as much as possible.
  
  
• Politics – They are a way of life in an organization so get to understand them. Every company has its own form of politics which dictate how things get done. They are the process of sharing resources, sharing power and influencing others. At your first job, watch and learn how they operate before you jump in!

Your Work Tasks

• Master the tasks of your job. You were hired to perform a specific job which will contribute to the overall organization. Work towards performing this job to the best of your abilities and make sure you understand exactly what is expected of you in this role.
  
  
• Make the most of your training period. This period is the time to learn as much as possible. Ask questions and take notes. titlehough you will be constantly learning on the job, the beginning is the time in which others are the most willing to help and explain.
  
  
• Watch others and listen carefully to those teaching you. Take advantage of the advice and information your co-workers give you. Both are invaluable and it is very important to paying attention to them.

Mastering these areas should allow you to achieve your goals and success.

Finally, remember to enjoy the honeymoon period! titlehough your first impression is a lasting one, for the first several months, you are cut a lot of slack, expected to ask many questions and learn the ropes. Take advantage of this because when it is over, you are an ‘old timer' and hopefully, one of the crowd.