KEY POINTS:
You've scored your first job. Congratulations. The trick, now, is making sure the first day on the job goes smoothly.
Have breakfast before you leave home, dress appropriately, allow plenty of time to get to work, and go in smiling. Look confident even if you don't feel it.
Entering the workforce is still fresh in Jackson Teo's mind. He works for the student association at AUT in central Auckland, giving students information and updating the AUT website.
"I had a really supportive general manager and manager," he said. "I started a week before everything went into full swing so I got training for pretty much a week and that was crucial.
"That first day was cruisy because everyone was really supportive. I was grateful that they would take on an international student."
His advice for other graduates: "Be enthusiastic, have the attitude that you want to learn, take into account the skills you have learnt throughout the year [at university] in assignments. Go and see what the problem is or what your boss wants you do. As an employee, take it one step further and do your own research. Always have a gauge of what your employer wants and then blend in with the organisation.
Now Jackson is moving onto his second job as court register officer with the Ministry of Justice.
"I have gone by the office and had a look and asked what I should be wearing and what I should be preparing. I have done quite a bit of research into the ministry and what the policies are and the family court. I am a bit nervous because it is a huge responsibility. There is a lot of paperwork and I have to be really precise. But I am confident that it will work out well."
Alison Lawrie, career consultant with Career Services, recommends job entrants do "simple, commonsense things like having a practice run on the best path to your work place, checking out parking and timing in the morning traffic," to ensure the first day goes smoothly. "Nothing worse than being late on the first day."
She suggests dressing neutrally. There is "plenty of time for personal style and flair as you become familiar with the culture of the workplace, you don't want to start by drawing unnecessary attention to yourself."
Be prepared to just listen and observe.
"Take in the environment slowly. It will take a while to learn the internal politics, again remain as neutral as possible. Expect that the first three weeks will be uncertain and you could feel uncomfortable. It does no harm to take a notebook and write things down as you learn them. Ask questions rather than try and make things up."
Michael Richardson, career counsellor at AUT in Auckland, advises finding out what is expected on the first day, and whether there is an induction programme and training.
"Ask your boss what is expected of you on the first day and the first week."
Find out people's official roles, and their names. "Chat with them, have a look at their office, people hopefully will make you feel welcome.
He also promotes the powers of observation.
"The unspoken relationships and characteristics of your colleagues, that's the sort of thing you may pick up by looking and learning and listening and it may not come initially."
Orientation may include issuing of security codes or building passes. Emails and voicemails may need setting up, official forms filling out.
"Find out how people leave messages for you and how they might access you while you are in the office," says Richardson
"Learn how things are done before you come in being the new broom trying to sweep clean. Feeling that you need to make an impact is not always necessarily what is wanted until the organisation is confident that you know what the job is that the previous person had."
But do show some initiative says Richardson.
"If you find the person who is supervising you is busy, then you might have to organise your own induction programme. You could write down a few things that you would like to learn they may want to devote time to you but they may not want to hold your hand for a long period of time."
He recommends "educational coffee breaks".
"Have coffee with somebody who you may be interested to learn from. Ask questions about what they have done to work in that organisation, what it takes to succeed. Spend the initial period networking and learning from more experienced colleagues.
"The first day can be stressful, even for an experienced worker. There is a lot of new information. My experience is that it is not until after six months that you start to develop closer relationships with colleagues and understand the organisation.
"Your workplace won't expect you to produce a lot in your first week. You are there to pick up information on how things are done."
Lawrie says: "Whether it's the first day of a first job or your 20th job you are going to have to start from scratch as far as learning the culture of your environment. Most colleagues will be aware of this and will try and help you."
