Making a Good Impression at Your New Job
September 1st, 2010
You worked so hard to finally land a job after you graduated college that you must make the effort to make a good impression once you start your career. Making a good impression equates to going above and beyond what is expected of you. Some employees feel that they only have to do what is in their job description. This is a recipe for disaster, that is if you want to advance within the company. Those people will always be passed over because they did not show initiative – the hallmark of a valuable employee.
The absolute best way you can impress your boss and coworkers is to take on extra responsibilities. Just be careful that you do not take on too much work that your normal duties suffer. Achieving a balance will make your life easier. Once you become settled in the routine of your job, start asking what else you can do to help out other people in your department. This is a great way to learn more about what your company does and it exposes you other potential jobs.
Acting in a professional manner is what you landed you the job. Continue to hold yourself to that standard that you displayed during the hiring process. So many recent college graduates are fired because they take an overly casual approach to their jobs. It can be difficult to shift out of the college mode to the professional world. However, it is imperative that you adapt quickly if you want to survive. If you think that something you are about to do or say could be construed as immature, then just dimply avoid that behavior. The rule of thumb here is: better to be safe than sorry.
Businesses operate at a very high speed. Accordingly, you need to develop strong listening skills. While managers will encourage you to ask questions, having instructions repeated will reflect poorly upon you. As you are being trained take notes that you can refer to in the future. Eventually, your boss and coworkers will expect you to work independently. With that being said, it is still a good idea to find someone whom you can trust. This person can be a sounding board for you through your first couple weeks and months on the job for the invariable questions that are sure to arise. These tips plus a positive attitude will suit you well as you embark on your career.

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