Life is fairly clear in full-time education. You go to classes, you do your work, you get your marks.
The workplace, however, is very different. You have to figure out how the company works, who’s who, what’s expected of you in your job, how the office politics works and, of course, how to balance the demands of an eight-hour working day with friends, family and a personal life.
With this in mind, we asked a range of people, including project managers, trade union representatives, career experts and staff members of big firms: what should graduates know when starting a full-time job?
Don’t underestimate yourself
“You have so much up-to-date knowledge and skills to offer so don’t be afraid to back yourself and show that in your first role as a graduate. Take confidence from what you have achieved so far and the hard work you have put into getting your qualification.” – Elaine Daly, careers consultant, DCU
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Don’t work for free
“You must be paid at least the minimum wage if you are doing an internship or work trial. But there are lots of other ways you can find yourself working for free. Eating lunch at your desk or cutting your break short. Finishing your shifts late, answering emails in the evening or logging on for a few hours over the weekend.
“All businesses will have times when a big deadline has to be met and everyone needs to do a bit more to help out. But when the occasional becomes the norm, it’s a problem. Your rest breaks at work and time-off between shifts are to protect your health and safety and your mental and physical welfare. If you are overworked it could be because the company is understaffed or you are struggling to manage your workload, which happens to all of us in a new job.
“Whatever the reason, speak up. Tell your line manager or go to your union rep. Never ever suffer in silence, in life but especially in work.” – Dr Laura Bambrick, social policy officer at the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU)
Develop resilience
“A key theme that we are noticing in the feedback we are getting from graduate recruiters over the past few years is that they would like to see more resilience in graduate hires, in terms of dealing with challenges and taking feedback on board in a constructive manner.
“In light of this, our team of career and skills consultants here at UCD advise students who are about to embark on their first graduate jobs to adopt a growth mindset, seeing the learning curve that you’ll experience in your first graduate job as a positive.
“Invest time in developing your skills and gaining experience – be curious and open to learning opportunities. Find yourself a formal or informal mentor who can help you navigate the organisational culture.
“And try to see feedback on your performance as an opportunity for personal development rather than a criticism.” – Sorcha Mulcahy, deputy director of careers, employability and skills, UCD Career Network
Have a growth mindset
“A growth mindset means that, when you’re going to be facing new situations and tasks, instead of saying that you can’t do something, just add ‘yet’ – ‘I can’t do that task yet.’
“Be open-minded and open to help, and try to be optimistic in your mindset and approach. It will take time.” – Dr Mary Collins, chartered psychologist, programme director of the Professional Diploma in Leading Workplace Wellbeing with RCSI, and author of Emotional Intelligence in Dentistry
Get involved
“As a graduate you’re in a great position to get involved and try new things. While you don’t want to take on too much as you adapt to the workplace and continue learning, don’t be afraid to try new things, get involved in projects, follow your interests and skills and see what opportunities and experiences open up. Being a new graduate is a great time to test out ideas of different work areas or tasks as you build up your experience and carve out your career.” – Elaine Daly, DCU
Invest in your network
“Do this early. Building connections across communities, groups and professional organisations can open up a world of opportunities you may not even be aware of.
“LinkedIn data shows that acquaintances are more than twice as effective as close friends in helping people to land a job. Your network is your best source of practical advice and insider knowledge to keep up with those changes.
“Instead of waiting until you need something, stay engaged with your connections by commenting on posts, sharing your own reflections or simply checking in. These small actions build relationships that will support you throughout your career.” – John McCall, interim director of talent development and head of talent attraction, LinkedIn
Remove uncertainty
“The first superpower I want you to build isn’t knowing everything; it’s removing uncertainty. Managers fear surprises more than mistakes, so make a habit of sending short, proactive updates on each piece of work that state the goal, where it stands, what will happen next, and any help you need.
“Flag risks early and over-communicate so people can adjust in time. You will quickly earn a reputation for no chasing, no last-minute fire drills, and clear asks – and that reputation opens doors.” – Niamh McInerney, director and head of talent acquisition, PwC Ireland
Be open
“People often put a lot of pressure on themselves to ensure they are on the ‘right track’ from the word go. But career paths are not always linear these days. In fact, more often than not, careers evolve in non-traditional ways as people acquire new skills and technologies evolve. In Ireland specifically, jobs mentioning AI literacy have grown by nearly one and a half times over the past year, showing how quickly the world of work is evolving.
“Being open to new possibilities and focusing on acquiring new skills will help someone find their niche and, importantly, make work more enjoyable as they navigate the full-time workforce.” – John McCall, LinkedIn
Ask about pay
“Ask about the interview process and the salary when you get the initial call inviting you for an interview. Multiple rounds of interviews are now increasingly common for entry-level jobs. So too are assignment-based interviews, where you are asked to pre-prepare a task similar to what you could expect in the job.
“These hiring practices are hugely time consuming for applicants – and then to find at the end of this marathon application that you are being offered a salary close to the minimum wage.
“An interview process should be reasonable and proportionate to the job and salary on offer.” – Dr Laura Bambrick, ICTU
Mind yourself
“Accept and recognise that it’s going to be cognitively, emotionally and physically exhausting when you start. You will be learning lots of new things, in lots of new situations. Perhaps your schedule is going to be quite different to when you were in college.
“So, in order for you to be successful and to flourish in this new environment, it’s important that you manage your energy and focus on your self-care. So, wherever you go to refuel, make sure you build that into your week; whether it’s going to the gym, for an evening run or meeting friends for a walk, make sure you prioritise it.” – Dr Mary Collins
Ask questions
“You can’t be expected to know a role inside out when you start, so ask questions. Don’t be shy; people appreciate it, and it shows conscientiousness and commitment to learning. Listen to the answers.
“Even if you’re scared, focus on the reasons why you wanted this, even if it is a massive learning curve.” – Eva Power, project manager, Vigilant and KT4Democracy
Focus on your transferable skills
“There can be such a focus on hard or technical skills to get us the job, whether that’s in IT, business, science or whatever the area.
“It’s important when you start in the workforce to also remember to focus on and demonstrate your transferable skills, particularly, communication and teamwork skills as well as commercial awareness.
“Employers and managers want graduates to communicate effectively with colleagues within their team or wider department or in some cases with external clients, collaborate effectively with others and understand the nature of the business and what it is about at the end of the day. Demonstrating these professional skills will set you up for success in your career.” – Elaine Daly, DCU
Be a sponge
“Regardless of age, spend the first three months taking it all in. Observe, notice and ask lots of questions. Perhaps take some notes in a journal. Try to understand the office dynamics.” – Dr Mary Collins
Make friends
“Studies show that people who have a good friend at work do better, so build relationships with your colleagues.” – Dr Mary Collins
Pace yourself
“You have plenty of time to hone your skills and interests, identify exactly what career area is best suited to you and progress your career however you decide to.
“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself as you start your career and enter the workforce. Don’t compare yourself to others, as we’re all on our own unique journey, and focus on your own path.” – Elaine Daly, DCU
Seven things NOT to do in a new job
- Don’t be late. If you are unavoidably delayed, make sure you get a message through and be prepared to make up the time.
- Don’t be negative or critical – of your new work environment, colleagues, managers, etc, and give it time to allow yourself to understand how things work.
- Don’t make assumptions. You need to keep your mind open to exploring and understanding the bigger picture before rushing to judgment
- Don’t participate in gossip. Office politics is sometimes fascinating but ultimately getting embroiled in drama can harm your career by damaging relationships with co-workers.
- Don’t overshare. Your new colleagues are not family or friends and your tenure there may not be lengthy so keep it professional.
- Don’t be a passenger. In other words, you are there to make a contribution, not wait for directions from a team leader or manager.
- Don’t be afraid to say something. If you have genuine concerns about any aspect of the new job, talk to your manager or the appropriate internal contact or reach out to a trusted external friend or career coach if you need an initial sounding board before raising it in the workplace. – Marie McManamon, Clearcut Careers and Consulting
