6 Ways To Stand Out At A New Job After College Graduation

Graduation day is often a very emotional and proud time for every student. You may have already landed an internship or perhaps you are hunting for your first job after college. 

While you might be excited to take that leap into the work world, you are certainly experiencing a mixed range of feelings. You are probably worried about how you’ll perform at your first job after graduation. Naturally, you want to give your first job your best shot. You want people to see and appreciate your talents. But at the same time, your confidence is quivering at the thought, as it’s a completely new thing for you.

If the above paragraph resonates with you and scares you a little bit, I have the attention I needed. The market is super crowded with equally eligible candidates applying for positions. However, not everyone takes efforts to stand out bold.

Here are six surefire ways to help you get noticed at a new job:

1. Take LinkedIn seriously

You might think LinkedIn will come in handy only later in your career, but you couldn’t be more wrong. Your peers and others in the industry are looking at profiles aggressively. Having an updated LinkedIn profile shows how well prepared you are. It can talk a lot about your interests, experiences and also strengths. Include blog posts written by you to give more insight into you, your interests and talents and will tell a lot about how your mind works.

2. Don’t shy away from talking about your experiences

You are fresh out of college and have unique experiences that you have followed. You might be thinking, how does it better your relationship with your boss if you are an aspiring travel blogger too? It probably can, because it shows your outdoorsy nature and that you have a life outside of work, which many employers want to see. And what if he enjoys traveling too? Talk about your experiences that show your core strengths clearly.

3. Get in touch with your boss before you start

Reaching out to your boss directly prior to starting will ensure he remembers you as the fresher who asked a valid doubt or question. Every person has a different way he/she functions. Knowing that will help you predict needs and demands that will be made later. This way it will be easier for you to assist them and make the right things available to them at the right time. This makes sure that you are always looked out for by significant people at work.

4. Communicate loud and clear about your roles and responsibilities

Discuss your roles and responsibilities to avoid conflicts later. Be it in terms of your hours spent or pay, it should all be recorded. Talk about what you expect out of the company and also understand what it expects in return. This will make sure that you don’t end up with something you didn’t sign up for in the first place. 

5. Get to know the other staff and check how they function

Getting to know your coworkers can go a long way in creating that favorable impression at work. It will take time to understand people at work, but that’s okay. Making real connections always work better than the virtual connections we make. You never know what your bosses are looking at. Or which peer has a relationship with the top heads. Remember that each of them is different and has different temperaments. A joke that worked with someone, might not work with the next one. You can learn a lot from their experience also which might help you become a better leader at work.

6. Most importantly, don’t act like an intern

Depending on where you are working, it is likely that everyone is quite busy with their daily tasks and therefore may not have the time to answer all of your questions and concerns. Instead of working as a newbie, it’s wise to take up ownership of a task and complete it. Do not take a lot of time to mingle in the crowd. Always think of your first job as your last job and give it your best. Look out for gaps in the existing system and research on working them out.

We wish you the best of luck on your first day at your new job after college graduation! Tell us about your first day at work in the comments section below.

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Related reading:

• Foolproof Tips for Finding a Job After Graduation
• Quiz: How Prepared Are You For The Workforce After College Graduation?
• Life After Uni: How to Get Your First Job Out of College
• Career Advice for College Grads