The person to whom you report is probably the person who will have most influence on your nextsteps in employment. They will be recommending you for promotion, or not, or they will be writing a reference for you for your next steps into a new organization.
Try to understand what is important to them:
A good way to do this is to ask them. Then youcan look for ways to assist.
Try to bring solutions rather than problems:
Your boss will already have plenty of problemsand probably enough people to bring more. You will get noticed if you seem to be looking for or providing solutions.
The biggest mistake you can make is to never make a mistake:
The new graduate in a new job can view a mistake as a disaster – but the person who never made a mistake, never made anything. The worst mistake you can make is to be so risk-averse that there is no possibility that you will ever make a mistake. View mistakes as pitfalls form which you can learn. Consequently,distil all the learning you can from each mistake.
Take responsibility for outcomes:
Don’t hide from responsibility behind the fact that youare the newest or youngest employee where you work. The sooner you learn to take personal responsibility, the quicker you will become a respected and mature professional.
Be careful in communications:
Be careful in yourwritten communications, particularly the less formal ones, such asmemos and emails. These provide lasting evidence of your maturity and your professionalism.
Find yourselfa mentor:
If this is a job in which you intend to stay long enough to seek advancement, then seek a mentor in your organization or industry. Seek advice from someone who has succeeded, so they can help you to succeed. Check whether your organization has a mentoring scheme. Some professional bodies offer mentoring schemes so it is well worth checking that out too. Otherwise, use informal ways to find a mentor. People are more likely to be willing to act as a mentor than you think, because most people like having someone to look up to them. It is flattering to be asked to be a mentor; it is pleasant having someone listen attentively to your advice, and it is also pleasant to be able to share lessons from your own experience.
Recognize the importance of interpersonal relations:
Most students study, complete assignments and are assessed on the basis of individual work during school, college and university. Most work within employing organizations is done in a group or departmental setting. Indeed, the essence of organization is to combine the contributions of individuals to realize joint outcomes. Hence,learning to get on with work colleagues is essential.
Recognize the importance of teamwork:
An employing organization is a way of combining thework of groups and of individuals. Your contribution to the organization will be assessed by your contribution to your group at work. A fruitful attitude to team working is to see the problems of other people in your group, as your problems.
Developyour network:
Your current employing organization is unlikely to be the last organizationthat employs you. Most jobs are obtained by personal contacts and networks (in the USA it is about 65%). Places you can network include alumnus groups, on-line groups, professional bodies, and trade associations.
Network within your own organization:
Access to interesting work as well as promotionsdepends on who you know as well as what you know. Make contacts within your current organization.
Build goodwill:
People will be much happier to help you if they see you as someone who willhelp them. If you help other people in your organization, you will develop a network of people who are likely to think of how they can help you when the opportunity arises.
Staying in touch:
Networking is not just about making contacts; it is also about buildingrelationships with these contacts. Develop a system for keeping in touch with your contacts.
Avoid burning your bridges with anyone:
It is a small world, so keep your enemies to theminimum.
Developyourself:
In the best of all possible worlds, your employing organization will recognize your worth and realize the importance of developing your potential. If not, you need to do the job yourself. A good place to start is to work out a development plan for yourself, even if it is very provisional and subject to amendment in the light of emerging circumstances.
Present job lead:
It is never too soon to begin thinking about where your present job will lead you. What arethe options for your next move? Which options look most promising?
Look for as many learning opportunities as possible:
What training or development is neededto arrive at where you want to go next? Are there courses on offer which could build your CV in the direction you want to go? How can you make the most of informal learning, particularly about the particular sector in which you are now working?
Look for a niche to make your own:
If you have an area of specialization within an organization or an industry this can be a valuable source of comparative advantage. It is even better if you can find an area of specialization that will be in more demand in the future.
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