Page 25 - Graduate Recruitment Handbook 2025

I didn’t realize that success at work was so much Make A Best Friend At Work
more than being an expert in Excel or learning The friends one makes at their first job end up
being incredibly influential as one navigates an
everything I could about the industry our client was
organisation, navigates future career changes, and
in.
builds the foundation of a professional network. In
addition, friends at work make it that much more
After years of managing fresh hires and speaking fun. According to research from Gallup, employees
with other leaders about what makes a newbie thrive, are seven times more satisfied with their job if they
have a best friend at work. It’s always a little scary to
here are the four things I tell my graduating students
ask someone to lunch or a virtual coffee hang out,
about what they can do to not only succeed in their but the potential for a lifelong friend far outweighs
day-to-day roles, but also feel happy and fulfilled those fears.
when doing so.
Keep An Accomplishments Journal
Own The Relationship With Your Manager No matter what, a first job is going to have bumps
In a first job, new employees often wait for their in the road. The mistakes I made in my first job
manager to tell them what to do, wait for their felt catastrophic at the time, and they often
manager to schedule a check-in meeting, and then overshadowed the wins and accolades I received
expect their managers to structure the conversation from co-workers and clients. New employees can
during that check-in. But managers have a ton on keep an accomplishments journal. Each time you
their minds, and the best employees are those that accomplish something, big or small, or get positive
lighten the cognitive load of their managers. feedback from coworkers, clients, or customers, write
it down. For the times when the road is bumpy, it’s
One easy way to own the relationship: For the one- helpful to be reminded of all of the positives that
on-one check-in with a manager, send an agenda have been accomplished.
24 hours in advance with items you would like to
talk about, and follow-up the meeting with an email Erica Brown, a healthcare consultant at Manatt
recapping what was discussed. Health, has also used the accomplishments
journal for future career options. “In addition to
Push To Receive Specific Feedback documenting what you accomplished, also write
Research shows that managers do not enjoy giving down how you did it and what lessons you learned,”
feedback, yet employees want their managers to she says. “Over time the journal will become a ready-
give them more. It is a big disconnect that keeps made list of resume items and talking points for
employees in the dark about what they can do to your next job, especially for those tough behavioural
improve. Asking a manager, “What feedback do you interview questions.”
have for me?” often results in the answer, “Nothing,
you’re doing great!” A Final Piece Of Advice For Graduates
A final piece of advice for graduates entering the
workforce in the upcoming weeks and months.
Managers often shy away from constructive feedback Ask those around you what they wish they had
because of a fear of hurting feelings or creating known when they started their first job. The question:
conflict. Moreover, a lack of constructive feedback “What’s one thing you wish you had done differently
in your first job?” will yield helpful (and often
early in one’s career can have long-term ramifications
surprising) advice.
for growth and development.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelpacheco/2024/05/29/
graduates-heres-how-to-succeed-in-your-first-job/
Instead, to get critical feedback needed, ask for
feedback in a specific way. Ask, “What’s one thing I
could have done differently in this PowerPoint deck
to make it more effective?”
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