You are probably on your first or second job after a grueling internship. Whichever the case, you are working odd hours to make ends meet and begin to feel frustrated with your life’s journey so far. However, your parents tell you to keep at it and not to be a quitter.
As reality sets in after internship is over, the company you gave 150 percent doesn’t permanently hire you. So you settle for whatever job you can get, driving you further away from your dreams. Here are a couple things I would tell my younger self in my quest to make my a fairy tale into my reality.
1.Be grateful.
Appreciate that you have a job when many face unemployment as their prevailing circumstance. Gratitude produces a good attitude which reflects in your work.
2.Learn
Take time to learn the tricks of the job. You will one day look back and realize years later when you settle into “your ideal” career that those lessons you learned along the way shaped you into becoming a success.
3.Surround Yourself With Positive Energy
Learn to eliminate people who drain your energy. They only make you feel worthless and that is not the kind of motivation you need to pull yourself out of a rough patch. Reading self-help books or motivational YouTube videos from Robin Sharma to reboot your system as you work towards greatness.
4.Job Interviews Are A Two Way Street
Whenever we get called for job interviews, half the time we are too preoccupied with impressing the interviewer. Always remember to ask relevant questions. This is a chance for the interviewer to pick your brain and gauge your interest levels in the company.
READ: What Recent Graduates Should Not Ask During An Interview
5.Don’t Beat Yourself Up Over Mistakes
Mistakes are common even when you have settled into your job , the trick is to not repeat the mistake by making a conscious effort to analyze your weaknesses and work on them , not repeat them. Let your mistakes be a chance for you to grow.
6.Learn to speak up for yourself and be your own advocate.
Learn to be assertive. I don’t mean be rude , rather if you disagree with something or would like to take some time off cause of fatigue, learn to speak up for yourself and use the right channels. Each organization has a structure and departments , thus be sure to address the correct person or the channel of authority when faced with difficulty.
7.Behave During Events
Be mindful of how you behave during social gatherings such as parties and events. In as much as these are casual functions always remember to keep yourself in check. Avoid getting too drunk because you never know who is watching.
This article was written by Michelle Njeri.
