From one graduate to another: How to be successful in your first months at work

Posted on the 1st September 2016 by Gabriella Stanley in Team blog

Working in foreign exchange is Gabbie's first job

As it is nearly my one-month anniversary working as a Business Development Executive for Money Mover, I thought I would celebrate by writing a blog aimed at other graduates about how to be successful in your first few months at your new job. The tips I have given below are based on my experiences from just one month at my job. ONE month. ONLY 28 days and I already feel like I could write a book about the do’s and the don’ts of work, but, since I am actually working, I’ll leave you with just 5 tips for now:

1.Relax. It is the first few months and all eyes are on you, but don’t forget that the rest of the team have been in your position and know what it feels like to be the newbie. It’s easier to make mistakes if you’re a bag of nerves, so just chill out and be calm. You got the job for a reason so be confident and don’t let them regret making the decision to hire you! 

2. Challenge yourself. You aren’t expected to know everything or do everything in the first few weeks at your new job; however, if you work hard and go the extra mile people will make allowances for you as they can see you are trying. After all, no one said it was going to be easy. I will always give something a go, even if it seems impossible. The worst that can happen is you’ll get it wrong but learn something in the process.

3. Team Spirit. Working well as a team doesn’t just involve coffee and a friendly chat about your weekend, but about being there to help out. It’s about building a relationship based on trust and respect with the rest of your team. Don’t let team members down. Always offer help. Listen. Don’t be afraid to suggest ideas and offer your opinions.

4. Don’t stop learning.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Just because you got the job doesn’t mean you possess all the necessary skills for it. Even if think you do, there is always something new to learn. One way I make sure that I am always learning is by looking up the meaning of any words that I am unfamiliar with. I try and use them in a sentence, write them down in the back of my notebook and look over them once a week to refresh my memory.

Also, set up Feedly or Google Alerts so you are always up to date with the latest news in your industry – knowing what’s going on in your industry will always win you brownie points.

5. Aim to be remarkable instead of comfortable. You can choose to be one of those people that ‘gets by in life’ doing ‘ok’ at a job you don’t mind, OR, you can choose to be extraordinary. Choose to do what you love and choose to be the best at it. If you think you’ve done a good job, chances are, you can always do better.  I am always looking at my work thinking: Is this the best I can do?

To learn more about the rest of the Money Mover team vist our team page.

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