Career Decision Making

Making The Transition From School to Work...and Life

As a recent graduate you are no longer a student but you are not a professional yet either.

Your Responsibility: You actually have to get up each morning and work a full day (or maybe longer) if you want to remain employed. If you choose to "blow-off" work enough times, you won't have to worry about going into work at all.

Your Behavior: While at school you probably could behave in a variety of manners with little if any repercussions. (This does not condone anti-social self-destructive behavior, but during college, you could get away with quite a few embarrassing things.) Your employer is not interested about your social activities outside of work, unless of course they start to affect your work performance.

Highlights

Your Job

Many times students that have been "movers and shakers" on campus see themselves in the same way while at their first job. What you will be doing is, "learning the business". This usually means that you will be doing all of the grunt and support work. The upper level employees (i.e. the ones with the experience) are the individuals that make the rules, devise strategies, manage projects, lead teams, and generally run things. Think about being at the same desk, doing the same type of work, in the same department, in the same building, for 8 or more hours a day. The reality of the work is that you will part of a team that is being paid to "do their job" and that is about all.

Co-Workers:

Some of your co-workers will be glad to see you and "show you the ropes". However there are just as many co-workers that have become hardened back stabbing individuals. These people have adopted the attitude of survival of the fittest. This mentality is a very real part of the job no matter where you work.

Some Advice To the New Kid On the Block

Nothing on the Internet is private:
Clean up your Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube accounts! (and don't look at these while on the job)

Leave your attitude at home:
The only attitude you should have on the job is one of enthusiasm and commitment to your job and employer.

You are starting over:
You may have a college degree and the exuberance of youth, but the fact is that you are the new kid and are not in your co-workers league yet.

Your degree is only one part of the puzzle:
Your degree alone does not qualify you to become a senior manager or to be called a professional.

Learn how the game is played:
Learn what the goals, objectives, and expectations are of your department and your supervisor.

Tactfully volunteer your expertise:
When it is appropriate, share some of your ideas, but be careful on how you present your ideas to your supervisor and co-workers. Do not start every sentence with, 'When I was at the University of…'

Do your job:
NO job is 100% fun all of the time. Take on extra assignments to show your dedication and that you are a team player. You may have assignments that you feel are "not in your job description". Get over it and take on each assignment like a professional.