Sometimes one needs advice from more experienced people. That happens when you join a new job especially when you are a recent graduate. I try to list here some advices that may be valuable for young employees:
Business Ethics: Stick to business ethics and don’t listen to bad guys. Do not make any concession on that. If you make one mistake, it will be easy to make ten mistakes. If you don’t make any mistake, it will always be difficult to make the first mistake.
Work hard…don’t lie…don’t cheat…be honest with everybody…be cooperative…don’t use your position for your personal benefits…follow company code of conduct…..
Get to know the organization: In the first days and week try to know many things about the organization: the location of different departments/facilities, the organization structure, the organization culture, the regulations, your job description, the role of every department. This is essential step in order to be able to live and work in that organization.
Get to know your boss and his way of doing business; what he likes and what he does not like. Try to cope with your boss and the organization culture as long as it does not contradict with business ethics and any legal issues.
First Impressions: Unfortunately, first impressions are very important. You shouldn’t say this employee is irresponsible because he made a mistake in his first days, but most people do that. They get an impression in the first days and weeks and then it is difficult to get them change their view.
So, you need to be careful in the first weeks. Follow the organizations rules, dress as required or as reasonable in that culture. Go to work early and don not leave early. Be nice with people. show them that you are serious. Follow the regulations regarding the break time. I am not saying that you’ll cheat them but you just need to be careful because simple things may be taken against you. For example, if ask for permission to come 30 minutes late in your first week, it may be interpreted as if you do not care. However, after few months if you ask to come one hour late, you may be welcomed.
Seek advice: Try to get advice and listen to people but you must have a filter in your mind that saves good advices and negelect bad ones. If you find a mentor that will be great if that mentor is really a mentor i.e. honest and cares about you.
Self Development: You may get training and support from other employees but you need to develop yourself. Search for information. Read the operations/work standard/procedures. Read the manuals. Find books related to what you are doing and red them. Heavily use the Internet to develop your self. Visit the company library.
Team work: Try to support team work. Create that culture if you have subordinates. Try to show your colleagues that you like to be part of the team. Do not hide information to show that you are the only one who knows.
Infromation:We need information in order to do and develop our work. Keep the important information. Do not depend on your memory for two reasons. First, others cannot read your memory. Second, you’ll forget one day. If the company has a system for filing, reporting, and sharing knowledge then follow it. Otherwise, suggest similar systems in your area.
Build a creative culture: Try to be creative. Search for creative ideas. Encourage your subordinates, if you have any, to be creative. Respect their ideas, discuss with them, reward them.
Don’t make a mistake twice: When you make a mistake then find the root cause and make the necessary countermeasure to prevent yourself from doing that mistake again. Always search for the root cause and the countermeasure that makes it almost impossible for this mistake to happen again.
Manage your time: Don’t waste your time. If you have spare time at work, then try to solve problems, develop new things, learn new skills, train others, read articles related to your job.
Be Organized: Do not have piles of papers on your desk. Have a good filing system. Get prepared prior to every work activity.
Don’t get frustrated: Sometimes you do not like the work for any reason and you cannot find another job, so you have to continue. In that case, you should not allow yourself to get depressed. Try to maximize the good parts of the job and minimize the part that you don’t like. Try to see the good things in your work and use them. Do activities outside work that minimize the bad effect of your job on you. Do things that you like. Do not yield to frustration. You have to continue alive (mentally and phscchologically) to save your health and your work skills.
Related sites:
Operations, Processes, and Decisions 