TIPS FOR GRADUATES ENTERING THE CORPORATE WORLD
Getting a job in today’s world with so much competition has become very difficult. Moreover, getting the dream job of yours in a coveted company is even more difficult to find. Therefore, you need to not only to hold the job once you get it but also ensure that your performance exceeds the expectations of your manager and the organization. Recruiters also look for well-rounded candidates and those with skills that they want. In other words, the profile of the students who are recruited by companies is determined based on not only the CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) but also whether the candidate matches the profile that the companies are looking for. First, graduates entering the corporate world have to understand that the college days are over and hence, they must behave and act in ways that resemble mature professionalism rather than wet behind the yearsnerds. For instance, in the corporate world, there is zero tolerance towards any violation of the company’s policies unlike in college where students are usually let off with a warning except in cases of serious misdemeanor. However, once you are in a job, you must be cognizant of the fact that any deviations from the company’s policies are viewed very strictly and might even lead to termination of your services. This includes adherence to the code of conduct, ethics policies, and anti-harassment policies. Second, graduates have to understand that productivity and excellence are much valued in the corporate world as well as teamwork and being a team player. Therefore, unlike in college where individual brilliance is valued and grades accorded to individual excellence, the corporate world favors team brilliance and group performance. Therefore, it is as important to share and work in a team as it is important to perform at an individual level. Third, the corporate world in recent years has become more of a lateral entry-hiring place where graduates are taken only in big companies that have the need for hiring thousands of employees. In most other companies, they are hiring only those with at least a couple of years experience and hence, graduates must do everything possible to bag the first job that would serve as an entry point into the corporate world. Even the big companies have been deferring the onboarding process of graduates because of the on-going recession and this has led to many graduates having to wait for the elusive joining letter. In these cases, it would be better if these graduates spend the time acquiring new skills and attributes that would give them an edge over others once they join the job. Fourth, graduates have to remember that navigating the relationship with one’s manager is very different from navigating the relationship with one’s professors in college. Therefore, professionalism and a positive attitude that outgrows the collegiate habits are needed for success in the corporate world. Apart from this, hanging around in groups from the same college, cracking jokes that are out of place at the workplace, and generally behaving as though the workplace is an extension of college are traits that are not appreciated in the corporate world. The fifth aspect has to do with taking care of things like paying taxes, maintaining financial propriety, and ensuring proper management of one’s finances. For instance, it is common for many graduates to not file the income tax returns even after a couple of years into the first job or the career. This is not only a violation of the rules but also something, which goes against the grain of many standards of ethics and professionalism. Apart from this, there is a need to be overboard in claiming benefits and allowances from the company and graduates have to remember that many companies are especially monitoring them because they know that for one, this segment is unaware of the rules and second, this is the segment that has the tendency to overstate the claims and allowances more than the other segments mainly because of lack of experience but also because of the temptation to augment one’s salary and benefits. TIPS THAT WOULD BENEFIT YOU IN ADJUSTING TO THE WORKPLACE What is it that your supervisor expects: Always be clear about your supervisor’s expectations. Whether your supervisor is detail oriented or does he like to see only the big picture, it is relevant to know if your supervisor wants you to send him documents for validation before you send them out. Keep in mind that your supervisor has been in this job more than you have and he knows what pleases the customers. Take tips from him whether to send a detailed report to a particular customer or a snapshot in bullet points. Follow the company brand guidelines: Each company has their own brand guidelines which detail out their logo, font size,andcolor, letterhead format, etc. Be sure to follow the guidelines to the core. Always use the standard auto-signatures and avoid using smiley or cartoon characters. Identify your mentor: Try and look for a mentor who is experienced in his role. He or she need not be from the same department or function, however, their experience will help you gain some positive tips on how to communicate within the organization. Ask for feedback: It is very essential that you ask for feedback from your colleagues. As a new employee, you might not get it right the first time, however, to ensure it happens right the next time, ask for feedback. Be cautious - ask for feedback from people who know about the subject. Also, be specific while requesting feedback. Learn about the organization structure & culture: Get to know more about the hierarchy and the organization structure. Every organization has its culture and it is necessary that a new job holder imbibes the new culture. Find out about the “Turn Around Time”: It will be a good idea to find out what is the protocol around the turnaround time while responding to e-mails or any other form of communication. Follow the protocol always.