Starting a new job? ‘How can I prepare?’, ‘What can I expect?’ and ‘How can I succeed?’ are some of the questions you might be asking yourself. To help you answer them, we’ve brought together advice from some of our employers and the graduates that work there.
It’s ok not to know everything!
In a role that is completely new to you, there are going to be a lot of things you don’t know – and couldn’t have known before starting the job. So, don’t put too much pressure on yourself to get it right first time, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
This is an opportunity for you to develop your knowledge, as well as demonstrate it.
“There is always someone to ask and Arup provides all the relevant training. So, you don’t have to worry about what you don’t know. You just have to be willing to learn!” – Arup
Define your goals
Before you start, and throughout, you should be asking yourself: ‘What do I want to get out of this?’ and ‘What do I want to achieve?’. Make a list of your career goals, big and small, and set yourself milestones.
It’s also a good idea to share your goals with others who can help you achieve them – whether this be a mentor or someone in a similar role to you.
“Sharing our goals with someone makes it more likely that we’ll achieve them” – Bank of Ireland
Believe you can do it
Believing in yourself and your own abilities is key to achieving your goals. It will give you the confidence to do what needs to be done, and the resilience to try again when something doesn’t quite go the way you wanted it to.
“Whether it’s coping with a number of tasks at once or reacting to uncertainty, we all need self-belief, confidence and the resilience to bounce back” – EY
Be proactive
To really get the most out of your new job, you need to be proactive: ask questions, search for opportunities, network, and get involved in as much as you can. This will help to develop your knowledge, expand your skillset and grow your experience.
“Keep on browsing the internet, keep on exploring things, keep going to conferences – you should take every opportunity that excites you and will help you develop” – Network Rail
Utilise your support networks
Starting a job can be daunting; you’re going into a completely new environment and may even be moving to a different city. Because of this, graduate employers invest a lot of time into making sure you are supported from the moment you start with them.
Their support networks will help you settle in and feel part of the community, so I would really recommend using them.
“If you have any questions, someone is there to help you… we have graduate buddies, buddies in each department, line managers and mentors – there’s just such a great support network” – Johnson Matthey