Resume Help Blog

The move from school to your first job is one of the most profound transitions in life. All your life you’ve been asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Well now you are grown up. But if you’re like many recent grads, you still don’t have a clear answer to the question.

And that’s OK. Neither did I and I’ll bet your parents didn’t either. Most people start with a two – or three-year series of less-than-ideal jobs. This is the rubber meets the road that will teach you the survival skills you’ll need to be successful in the professional world and help you decide which direction you will eventually go.

Here are five tips that will make the transition from student to professional move along as more smooth.

1. Realign Your Focus
In school, the focus was on you! Your needs and preferences. At work, you no longer have that level of control. And to get a job and succeed, you’ll need to turn your focus toward the people who sign your paychecks.

This is the real world so figure out how you can contribute to the organization’s business needs. Become a team player. Focus on putting the organization’s needs above your own.

2. Work on Your People Skills
You got away with a lot of stuff in school that you can’t in the workplace. Tempers flare, competitions arise, and people take sides. Don’t try that at work. Regardless of who’s right or wrong, drama in the office reflects poorly on all parties involved.

A bad attitude will get you “canned” quickly no matter your skill. A person who is likable and pleasant to work with is the more valuable employee than the individual with a bad attitude.

3. Pay attention and Learn
Learning is what school is all about. But learning is really what your first couple of jobs should be about as well. I remember my first job was in a supermarket. Not the best job but I had a lot to learn and I did. It’s always wise to observe and learn from the more experienced workers. Who are the most respected team players; model your behavior after those people. And be sure to avoid office politics. Those are deadly.

4. Network, Network, Network
This can’t be emphasized too much!  Your networking in college may have been limited to social networking on the Internet.
When you’re looking for a job, talk to anyone and everyone. Don’t exclude anyone. You never know who knows someone, who knows someone, who has a job opening. Tell them what kind of job you’re seeking and make sure they know how to get in touch with you. Also here’s a bit of sage advice my dad gave me when I entered the workplace: Never burn your bridges. You never know when you may need that job reference. Did I always follow it, of course not. Did it cost me, it sure did. Networking will help you at every step of your career, but especially at the entry level.

5. Keep Your Resume Up To Date
Even if you’re quite comfortable with your job, it’s always good practice to keep your resume up to date. Many people forget this and then scramble to remember the facts later. When you land a job, add it to your resume. Keep it updated.

A new opportunity can come along at any time so be prepared and you will be ahead of other qualified candidates. So be sure to keep a record of all the contributions you make and the compliments you earn, saving copies of those that were e-mailed or handwritten. Many people forget this and when they need confirmation they cannot find them. They can help vault you to your next career challenge.

Conclusion
With your fresh diploma or degree in hand and a head full of knowledge, you probably thought your education was complete. But a successful transition from school to work is a learning process all its own.

You are ready for the next step. Go get ‘em!