Common Mistakes Fresh Graduates Make at Their First Jobs

Congratulations on your first job! As much as you’re excited to embark on a career journey, walking into a new job can be equally intimidating. Starting a new role in a new environment can be challenging for a lot of people, even for those who have been in the workforce for some time. Fresh graduates, however, are more likely to make mistakes in their first years of a full-time job due to a lack of professional experience. Making some errors in your first job is inevitable, but you can make a difference by being aware of the common mistakes in advance to best avoid them. 

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1. Pretending to understand everything right away

Landing on your first job means you are new to basically everything, be it the workflow or the objectives of your role itself. Many people make this first mistake simply because they are afraid of asking stupid questions. The solution is rather simple, try to paraphrase your question by confirming your understanding. 

Instead of asking, “Can you confirm our objectives with this project?”

Try saying, “Sorry, would it be correct if I assume that we are looking to achieve A, B, C for this project? Or did I miss anything?”

2. Not thinking in high resolution

A major misconception among fresh graduates who are just starting their first job is that you are only responsible for the specific tasks that you are assigned. While this is not technically wrong, one of the things you could do to add your value for the company is trying to think about your role in a higher resolution. 

The way to get around this mistake is by trying to really think through the company’s real objectives, not just your role. You can start doing this by simply asking yourself, “How does this smaller part of my task play into the larger scheme? And is there any other way to achieve this goal?”

3. Hating the grunt work

Working in an entry-level job means that your first job will most likely involve tremendous grunt work that your superiors don’t have time to take on, such as writing boring reports and other administrative tasks. These works are understandably not the flashiest that you can brag about in front of your friends. However, you have to think of them as a part of the grand scheme.

Later, after several years down the line, when you assign somebody else to do the same grunt work, don’t forget to take the time and explain how it contributes to the bigger picture. 

4. Missing out on the opportunity for personal development

Every fresh graduate entering the workforce needs to be clear about one thing. Unlike when you were in university or college, it is not the company’s responsibility to guide you through your personal development. You have to look for the opportunity yourself and make the best out of it for your own benefit.

Opportunity is everywhere, especially if you are working in a big company. If your company provides free access to paid online courses for their employees, dive into it whenever you have the time. Never miss those chances just because the company says it is not “mandatory”. You never know which of those skills can enhance your career development in the future.

Okay, now that you are done going through the list, let’s hope for the best for your first job! Fingers crossed!

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