3 Things I wish I Knew After Graduation

When you leave college, you think you know what your life is going to look like. I was that person. I’m organized, I have time management skills, I was successful in college so surely I will succeed in the “real world!” I think most can attest that work and starting your career is just simply DIFFERENT. Not necessarily “more difficult” just a different playing field.

Here are three things I wish I knew after graduation:

1. Effort always wins

   Giving your best effort will always trump someone else’s natural talent. It will always go noticed. It is always appreciated. Everyone wants to hire someone who puts forth their best effort. It doesn’t matter how many hours you put in if you aren’t giving your best effort in those hours.

2. Attitude will follow you

   Sometimes we forget that our attitude is something that other people can pick up on and notice. Remember a time when you were around someone with a bad attitude. Whether that attitude was “deserved” or not, you still didn’t want to be there with them. The attitude that you portray will be remembered by your coworkers and colleagues and managers. Pick your attitude for what you want to be remembered by. Everyone in their career will come across trials but the more you can practice picking a positive attitude during the workday, the better.

3. Be a Learner

   Taking on a position of learning versus a position of “know it all” is the best way to excel in your career. No one will think you’re dumb for asking questions - it’s actually the exact opposite. If you DON’T ask questions they will assume you think you know it when you don’t. Taking on a learning mentality is a sure fire way to get promoted fast because it shows a high level of interest and a high level of intelligence. Twenties are for learning, thirties are for earning!