7 Professional Habits For You To Develop On Your First Job

When you first enter the workplace, you’re setting the precedent for your future career. Because of that, it’s important for you to start as you mean to go on, getting settled into habits that are positive instead of negative so that they become second nature and continue to stand you in good stead at every job you work at throughout your career.

Repetition is the key to establishing a good habit, as well as breaking a bad one. But knowing how to establish good habits is one thing and knowing which habits to establish is quite another. The good news is that we’ve done the hard work for you and put in the research, which is why we’ve pulled together this article to help you to get started.

7 Professional Habits To Develop

#1 Learn To Take Criticism

Criticism is one of the few constants in life, and it’s inevitable that you’re going to face it at some point in your career. You can’t control when it’s going to happen, but you can control the way in which you respond to it. Remember that criticism isn’t inherently bad. Learn from what people are saying and use it to become a better version of yourself.

#2 Pay Attention To Detail

Does your personal statement or introductory essay have spelling mistakes? Consider hiring an assignment writing company to check your work for you to make sure that any professional documentation is error-free and written in perfect English.

#3 Don’t Gossip

Most workplaces have their own equivalent of office gossip, and while it’s only human to feel nosy and to get involved, you’re better off staying away from it. That will help you to stay neutral and to avoid making enemies, and it’ll also set you up as someone that people can trust when they need someone to confide in.

#4 Make Your Voice Heard

One of the big mistakes that people make when they first enter the workforce is that they feel too meek and timid in meetings and brainstorming sessions to raise their voice and to make themselves heard. On top of that, it can be disheartening if you make suggestions and they’re not followed, but stick with it. Making your voice heard is a key part of working in a professional setting and you’re going to come to rely on that skill as your career develops.

#5 Offer Solutions, Not Problems

Everyone’s busy, these days. We’re all up against seemingly impossible deadlines and struggling just to get things done, which is why nobody likes it when someone points out a problem. You have an obligation to point to problems when you see them for the overall good of the company, but you can often soften the blow whilst simultaneously speeding up the time to fix by providing solutions to those problems instead of just pointing them out.

#6 Be On Time

If you’re not punctual, people won’t know whether they can trust you, and you’ll get passed over for promotions and other opportunities simply because you can’t be trusted to arrive on time. As a general rule, aim to arrive everywhere ten minutes early so that you have time to compose yourself and you’re not running around at the last minute.

#7 Spend Time Reading

Reading is a great way to facilitate self-improvement, so carve out some of your personal time to read books and articles about your chosen field and industry. You can also look into podcasts, TED Talks, and YouTube videos if you prefer to learn by watching and listening. The media doesn’t matter – it’s all about the intent and the effort you spend to stay cutting-edge.

Conclusion

When you get your first job, it’s important to put the right foot forward and to make a good impression. At the same time, you need to make sure that you’re not being taken advantage of. One study suggested that 43% of first-time job seekers end up in jobs that they’re overqualified for, which is probably why 71% of graduates leave their first job within less than a year.

Regardless of whether you’re overqualified or not and regardless of how long you plan to stay with your employer, it’s still a good idea to use your first job to develop the habits that you intend to stick to throughout the rest of the career. Now that you know how to establish a habit and which habits are the best for you to adopt, it’s over to you. Start establishing those new habits today.

 

 

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