Tips on Maintaining a Long Lasting Career

You've just graduated from college and you are one of the lucky ones who get a job in the field of your choice and suddenly you've been dropped into the real world. Don't get cocky and ruffle feathers in your new job - instead take a few tips so you can integrate into your company and become a long-lasting employee.

1. Change Is Good - Change is good, but in time. Just like a new manager would not walk into their department with arms blazing, making changes immediately, neither should you. Work on completing the tasks at hand. Once you have an idea of what your job entails, then is the time to start thinking about ways to do things better. Even if you have a newly created position - take the time to get accustomed to what is going on and then if you have changes you would like to implement you can begin to formulate a plan and speak to your supervisor.

2. Pay Attention - Each company operates differently - this should not be a surprise. Take the time to observe how your office/department/co-workers operate. Many have made the error of assuming things work a certain way only to be let down when they try to get things done and are stopped cold. Pay attention to who does what; if you are a part of one department, but your office is located in another area, make sure to speak with someone in your department about the way things should be done. For example, if one person in your department orders office supplies, go to them first to find out the proper way to order supplies instead of trying to order them through another department.

3. Choose Your Battles - One of the most frustrating things about management is dealing with stupid issues. While every issue can be important, not every issue needs to be discussed multiple times. Decide if the item is a major or minor issue. If you bring something up that is bothering you, be prepared for the answer and be prepared to let the issue drop once you get that answer. Rehashing items over and over again only lead to frustration for you and frustration for your manager. Also, make sure that your issue has sustenance and is not going to be considered whining or complaining. If you are going to ask about it, make sure you are prepared for the answer. Just as life is not fair, office life is not always fair...sometimes the best thing to do is go to a friend (who is not your supervisor) and run the question by them before approaching your supervisor.

These things might seem like common sense, but many times these are common mistakes made by new employees, especially those fresh out of college. If you have made some of these mistakes, fear not, as you learn from each mistake. Just make a pledge to start fresh and you'll be fine!