Let’s just put it out there: Leaving college and entering the real world is scary.
It’s never an easy transition to make but when you add the fact that everyone is going on and on about how awful the economy is and how saturated the job market has become (real talk)….well, it’s pretty much a terrifying move.
Unless you’re choosing to go to grad school after college, chances are you’re about to embark on the bloodbath more formally known as the job hunt and here’s one thing I’ll tell ya: Unless you get very lucky, it’s bound to be at least a little bit rocky.
There are a lot of common mistakes young job seekers make straight out of school. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but these are definitely five major traps you should try to avoid at all costs.
1. Not understanding the line between too formal and not formal enough
This one is completely dependent on your line of work – someone who wants to work at a law firm will obviously need to word her cover letter and correspondence differently than someone who wants to work at a tech startup will. No matter what industry you’re looking to enter, though, it’s super important that you try your best to get a sense of how people communicate within it and emulate that. I would say it’s usually better to err on the side of being more formal as opposed to too casual, but being too prim and proper could make you come off as a cultural misfit for a job that has a more casual culture.
2. Getting too gossipy at work
Being friends with your coworkers is obviously a great idea and while it seems tempting to vent to them about all the little annoyances of your job (your demanding boss, your super loud coworker or a tedious corporate policy) it is smart to avoid falling into this trap. Co-workers can be competitive and cutthroat and you never know when someone will decide to throw you under the bus. You also want to avoid being too chatty in the office. You want people to see you as professional and dedicated to your job and if everyone overhears you going on and on about your boyfriend, what your friend did the previous weekend or how drunk you got the night before, people may start to view you differently.
3. Not taking enough initiative
The sad reality is that in work world, people who are young are often seen as incompetent and inferior. Honestly, though? This is so not the case – in fact, I truly believe that recent grads have a really fresh, valuable perspective about so many things. Speak up when you have an idea. Even if it isn’t great, at least people will respect you for throwing it out there. Ask questions when you have them. The more initiative you put forth, the more you seem like a team player. It’s difficult to feel like you have a voice when you’re just starting out but I really feel like the people who work to make themselves heard move up faster.
4. Being on your phone too often
Okay, it’s sort of a given that people aren’t working 100% of the time they’re at work. Everyone needs the occasional Gchat conversation or Facebook break to make a long day seem more bearable and that’s totally cool. With that being said, if you’re on your computer it’s not super obvious that you’re not concentrating on work. When you’re responding to texts or scrolling through Instagram, on the other hand, everyone can tell that you’re not concentrating on your work. It’s okay to glance at your texts from time to time but try not to be that girl who spends large chunks of her day glued to her cell.
5. Not understanding your worth
It is very, very easy to get taken for granted when you’re just starting out in your career. There’s a very fine line between being pleasant and being a being a doormat and if you can find that line, you have something that will take you really far. Of course, being accommodating and easy to work with is really important, but it’s also really important that you stand up for yourself when you need to. Don’t be afraid to request your vacation days off. Ask for a raise if you feel you’ve earned it. As scary as it to push back a bit, it will help others see you as someone who demands respect. I really believe that presenting yourself as a strong, independent person is the toughest thing for a young employee to do….but it’s also one of the most important.
