Coupled with the need to make a profound first impression in one's new job as a dedicated, determined, disciplined and dynamic professional, new graduates are also faced with the reality of the new world of work. While the "old deal" implied working hard and devoting yourself to your company in the hope of a future of financial security, the "new deal" no longer provides the stability of corporate yester year - the knowledge that you would have one job for life and the company would look after you until the day you received your gold watch. As new graduates entering the workplace, your career path will be coloured by many different careers, hence the need to develop your individual ability, strengthening your employability. Says Vanessa Bluen, Managing Director of The Consultant Powerhouse, a training company currently working with eight out of ten of the Financial Mail's top-rated companies in South Africa: "Making a strong impression in your first months of work, in addition to fostering support for your development, means developing the mindset, tools and flexibility to achieve competence and credibility in your delivery, and in your ability to build positive and powerful relationships that achieve results."
The Consultant Powerhouse runs graduate programmes for many of South Africa's major corporates, empowering new graduates to build their "Bankable Credibility", personal impact and business partnering skills. Finalist in the 2003 Age of Innovation and Sustainability Awards, The Consultant Powerhouse shares the following crucial points from its Graduate Powerhouse programme, which aims at empowering delegates to fast-track their success- building on their degrees and developing the skills to succeed in today's challenging work environment.
Position yourself as a winner
While at school or university you could your discretion when it came to things like attendance, completion of work, and general attitude, the corporate melody plays an entirely different tune: stand up and be counted, or be counted out. Making yourself memorable in your first few months of work means going the extra mile, not being bound by the traditional 8-5 demands, delivering over and above what's expected of you, and being humble enough to know there is always more for you to learn! Employers value the trait of accountability in their employees, so do things right the first time by working smarter, harder and faster- dismissing the need for reminders or supervision to keep you on track.
Clarifying expectations
Considering that how you perform in the first few 'honeymoon' months is critical- it is essential that you deliver well, and early. Key to this is being able to proactively clarify your expectations, whether they be quality requirements, deadlines, or available and required resources. Adds Bluen: "Don't be afraid to ask questions and to negotiate all factors that may impact on your delivery. Assertively communicating and negotiating meaning will be a key-determining factor as to whether you go up, or go home." And while you will more than likely do everything in your power to please your manger, colleagues and clients, the time will come when you will have to say 'no,' and when that time comes- your only choice will be the manner in which you choose how to say no. Key to positioning yourself as a cooperative corporate as opposed to a recalcitrant recruit, is about embracing the 'soft no' in lieu of the 'hard no.' The hard no expresses neither a willingness to help nor a willingness to take ownership over the problem e.g. 'That's not my job,' or 'I don't know how.' The soft no communicates that you are willing to be the CEO of your own life, and take control of your circle of influence to get things done. Through suggesting alternatives, the soft no communicates that you are eager to help create an acceptable resolution to the difficulty- making you part of the solution, not the problem.
Your professional reputation
While at school or university you may have been renowned for being a fabulous fashionista, class clown, campus crusader, or quintessential jock, entering the corporate playing field calls for you to reposition yourself as a credible, professional and 'go getting' graduate.
Strategies to boost your professionalism include:
-> People buy what you sell. Says Bluen: "In the business playground, projecting a powerful image makes career sense when you consider how, through the way you dress, you communicate the impression of your talents, the symbol of your standards and the promise of your delivery." Creating the perception of bankable credibility in the eyes of those who count means building a visual image that signals your intelligence, integrity, intention and creativity, one that respectfully and flexibly adheres to your company and client profile. Embrace your image as a powerful communicator and dress for your agenda!
-> In the new business environment, the primary expectations of your colleagues and clients are those of immediacy and availability. If updated consistently, your voicemail message can help create the perception of professionalism and availability in the client's mind. It can also be an invaluable relationship building opportunity if:
- You use you voicemail message as a personal assistant and give details as to your availability, for example: "Hi, this is Sarah. Thank you for your call. I will be in meetings the whole day but will be in the office tomorrow. If you need immediate assistance, please contact my assistant, Carin, or else leave a message and I will return your call tomorrow."
- You do not sound like a canned script
- You update your voice message regularly
-> As a new graduate, you will no doubt be faced with much 'hands on' experience- and one way to express your professionalism is through a handshake that communicates your confidence, sincerity and dependability. Avoid the 'limp fish,' 'rugby tackle,' and 'overdoing the ubuntu,' and opt instead for a firm web-to-web handshake. To ensure you put your best hand forward, avoiding all brief, limp, long and painful interactions, remember:
- Always maintain eye contact when shaking hands.
- A good handshake never exceeds two seconds.
- Your hand should be firm but not bone crushing.
- Your hands should be dry and clean- you'll regret the sweat.
Find a mentor
One of the first challenges new graduates face when entering into the workplace, is successfully interpreting the corporate culture and flexibly adapting to it, especially when it comes to reading the unwritten signals that constitute the organization's cultural code of conduct. So how does one overcome this obstacle, having just realised that not everything is written in the induction booklet? The answer lies in finding a respected and generous mentor, one that will willingly share their perspective, experience and insights in order to boost your progress. Not only do you stand the chance of finding a sponsor for your career, you may also find a role model whom you can observe in order to learn the rites and rituals that are demanded by your organization for a quick ascent up the corporate ladder. Take note of their corporate image, the relationships they have between work areas and levels, how they conduct themselves socially, and what behaviours constitute their professional way of doing business. By finding a mentor, and constantly observing those worth watching, you will learn how to play the game- building on the benchmarks of those who have gone big!
Think big picture
When you consider that the average person will have between seven to ten jobs and between two to three different careers from the time they leave school to the time they retire, the need to network wisely as a newly employed graduate is evident. Ensuring your sustained professional impact and success means marrying your short-term focus as a newly employed graduate with your long-term 'big picture' career intention- consciously making appropriate connections that will manifest opportunity down the line. Concludes Bluen: "As a newly employed graduate it is crucial that you don't overlook important associations that can contribute to your professional advancement."
Ultimately entering the corporate playing field provides a range of new challenges, all of which call for graduates to display accountability, professionalism and credibility. School is out: while your confidence and competence will increase as does your corporate experience, your ability to position yourself as the cutting edge advantage, superior in your commitment to growing yourself personally, professionally and contributing to your organisation's success, will govern the degree of your big league greatness.
