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10 Things I Learnt At My First Job That College Didn’t Teach Me

10 Things I Learnt At My First Job That College Didn’t Teach Me

After stepping out of that fun-filled and super relaxed environment of college, we find ourselves in hot soup as soon as we become a part of the professional world! Yes, there’s every possibility that your first job is going to be challenging – hey, no, we are not trying to scare you, we’re just trying to make life a bit easier for you by telling you, in advance, about the things you will learn at your first job and think “Why didn’t college teach me this?” Read on…

1. Your academic experience might not correlate with your job…

“WHAT?? Did I just waste all that money and time that went into my education??” – this is what you may be thinking right now, but trust us there’s nothing to be worried about. Yes, many people take up jobs that do not require them to use all that knowledge they gained from textbooks and it’s perfectly okay. If you ever get in such a situation then just focus on learning new things; after all, there is no harm in increasing your knowledge!

1 things you will learn at your first job

2. Never assume yourself to be “too good” for a job until you actually do it!

Quite a lot of us reject jobs just because we think ourselves, um, above it. Well, there’s so much to learn from every job and you’ll never know how good you are at doing a job until you actually do it. So the next time, before naively rejecting a job offer, think carefully if you should give it a shot!

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3. Getting hired is just the beginning…

So finally you got a job, that’s great. But there’s much more you need to do! Like, figuring out the responsibilities attached to your job, learning the correct way to do it, learning the rules and regulations of the organization and adapting to the environment there and so on. Fret not, you’ll learn everything with time, just remember to pay attention to the details.

3 things you will learn at your first job

4. There will be deadlines. REAL deadlines.

Of course you had to meet deadlines in college too, but things are a bit more serious here, sweetie! You cannot just skip deadlines when it comes to the office, and mind you, this is one of the many important things you’re going to learn at your first job.

Also read: 10 Workplace Rules To Make Friends With Colleagues AND Get Ahead

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5. Gossip does no good, only harm!

If you want to keep your professional life sorted, then it is extremely important to keep yourself away from gossip and gossip-mongers of all kinds. It’s quite tempting to listen to all those juicy deets about your grumpy boss, but trust us, it’s a complete waste of your precious time!

5 things you will learn at your first job

6. Your colleagues are not your new besties…

It might sound harsh, but it’s true – the office is NOT a place to socialize. Yes, you will gel well with some of your colleagues and you might even become friends, but your prime focus should be on doing your work sincerely and responsibly. Getting along with colleagues professionally and being able to execute teamwork is far more important than finding a personal connection.   

7. Be careful, your work impacts others around you!

Working in office is all about teamwork – the sooner you understand it, the better it is for you. So always try and do your work with utmost sincerity because even the slightest negligence on your part can cause a lot of inconvenience to your colleagues. Plus, it would dent your credibility too.

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7 things you will learn at your first job

8. It’s important to control your emotions…

Because the office is not home and your mom’s not around!! Okay, on a serious note: yes, if you’re a sensitive person, then you really need to get a better grip on your emotions because at the office you would have to come across plenty of situations that would put your emotions to test. Also, be prepared to amp up your patience level for your own good.

Also read: 13 Mistakes NEVER To Make At A Job Interview!

9. Time is money!

Soon you will realize that time is way more important than you had ever considered it to be! So the best thing to do is to use your precious time wisely and productively. Once you start valuing time, your life will become much more sorted and organized.

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9 things you will learn at your first job

10. Communication is the solution to all problems…

Many employees suffer due to their inability to communicate about the issues that they are facing at work. Just remember that letting someone know about your work related issues – ideally your reporting manager – would definitely fetch you the solutions you’re looking for!   

Happy learning!

GIFs: Tumblr, Giphy

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19 Aug 2016

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