These tips will make your emergence into the world of work more comfortable and make you more confident in tackling issues that will inevitably arise. For example, dealing with customer complaints or attending meetings with senior colleagues and important clients, will initially, take you out of your comfort zone.
- Pretend you are part of a sports team and act accordingly. Work is exactly like a team sport – everyone must support everyone else to ensure regular successes.
- Act enthusiastically and positively. When you behave like this all those mundane jobs will seem so much easier to get through.
- Keep your cool. If you do have a disagreement with a colleague you will have to face them the next day and you will feel awkward – don’t do it in the first place.
- Show that you are keen to be in your job. Arrive ten minutes early and leave ten minutes later. Senior staff notice and it will only enhance your reputation and your chances of promotion later.
- Be the first to say “hello”. You will build a reputation for being friendly and people will like you for it.
- First impressions count. Smile, eye contact, a firm handshake and open body language are all essential skills when meeting people.
- Dress appropriately for your job. If there is a company dress code then follow it. People judge you by the way you dress even before you start to talk.
- Understand body language is a major factor in communication. It far exceeds what people actually say. Watching peoples’ gestures and movements in a conversation will help lead you to what they are really feeling about a situation.
- Ask colleagues for feedback regularly; by doing this you can be sure if you are doing a good job. This does not have to be done on a formal basis, but a quiet chat with your immediate superior every few weeks can only help you.