Adapting to working life a key part of professional development

Individuals who have just graduated from university often feel like they’re on top of the world. They’re now the cream of the crop, have finished top of their class and feel absolutely elated that all of their hard work over the past three or four years has finally paid off.

But despite their official education having come to an end, that’s not where the learning stops.

In fact, professional development is a key cornerstone of a graduate job, as an individual learns a lot about what working in a specific industry is like.

Defined as gaining new skills through continuing education and career training after entering the workforce, professional development is an important aspect of a graduate job.

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There is the obvious learning in a workplace such as how to complete the task at hand or to learn what a specific company or sector does, but there are many other skills that are naturally picked up in a work environment but that are often overlooked.

One of the first things graduates will learn on the job is whether this is actually a field in which they want to work.

Often, actually experiencing a job first-hand is very different from what we imagined, experts in professional development have said. The theoretical job very rarely matches reality.

As a result, when a graduate actually begins a job in the field, they obtain valuable learning about whether it is a career you want to pursue long term, or if, in reality, it is no longer something you enjoy.

Ethna McGowan, a careers coach at TU Dublin’s career centre, said the first port of call for a graduate should be to “embed themselves in the team or the company in whatever way they can”.

“New graduates tend to be a little bit anxious starting out, they see everyone else as having much more experience than they do. They work with caution a little bit. The important thing really for a new starter like that, is to really have close contact with their direct line manager,” Ms Mc Gowan said.

“That way if there’s anything they’re unsure of, if they need support in any way; there’s nothing worse than having someone on your team, a recent graduate who is tasked with a task but they encounter a stumbling block or they don’t know what to do but they sit back instead of coming forward and asking a question.”

Often, Ms McGowan said, when the issue is raised it can be quickly resolved, but it is that inherent trepidation that holds new graduates back.

As a result, Ms McGowan said it is important that graduates know they can and should ask questions.

“It’s important from their perspective that they know not to be scared to come forward. If I was a line manager, I would be more concerned about someone not asking questions. No question is silly,” she added.

“Most tasks these days are time bound as well, so they’re only putting themselves under pressure as well by not coming forward and saying, ‘I’m not sure about this’ or ‘I need some help with this’.”

While graduates exit university with a broad, umbrella understanding of sectors or jobs, in order to really succeed in your role, Ms McGowan said there is a need to come to grips with the specialist knowledge that’s required for the role.

“Take someone who did a business degree and is going into a marketing or HR-type role. If you take HR, there are specific pieces of legislation there so it’s about constantly keeping yourself up to date in that discipline area,” she said.

This can be done in a number of ways, she said, such as finding out as much as possible about the sector, working within the sector, or doing short training courses where possible.

“It’s always a good idea to try and get a mentor. Some organisations are very good, they have structured mentorships for new graduates joining, but in a lot of cases that structure isn’t there,” Ms McGowan added.

“It’s about trying to find someone in an organisation who’s a little more senior than you and getting support there and they can be the go-to if you’ve a question.”

Other methods of reaching that professional development goal, according to jobs website Indeed, is by setting yourself achievable goals. They don’t have to be large undertakings, even things as simple as leading a project, pitching new ideas or learning a new technological skill can be great motivation for your continued learning in your new job.

Keeping track of those goals and intermittently checking whether you have achieved them is an excellent way to hold yourself accountable, and to get job satisfaction when you realise you have completed the self-appointed tasks.

Adding to this, Angela Burke, a careers consultant with more than 11 years’ experience in the industry, said seeking out and processing feedback is “incredibly beneficial” to a graduate’s professional development, adding “we’re all human at the end of the day so this is something we often avoid”.

“This feedback can be a gift when you’re starting out as it helps place your focus on an area that might otherwise slow your growth. Sitting down with your manager and becoming very clear on what is expected of you is key to success, particularly in a new job,” she said.

“I’d love to see more graduates openly seek out support with skills and tasks they don’t feel comfortable with. While it can be unnerving showing your vulnerability and seeking out help, this short-term discomfort will bring you buckets of long-term gain.”

Ms Burke said one of the things she learned very early in her career is that there will always be someone more experienced or more suited to an opportunity but you should not let that stop you from “putting yourself forward”.

“Skill is one thing but attitude is another and often the element that differentiates talent in the workplace,” she added.

Identifying your own strengths and weaknesses is a key component of the growth and development of employees. One of the best ways to do that, according to Ms McGowan, is to ensure you reflect on what you have done well and what you could have done better.

“I’d encourage a graduate to have a little notebook, or they all use electronics these days, so pulling out their mobile at a quiet time and noting something down that maybe went well, or perhaps more importantly what didn’t go well,” she said.

“This will allow them to reflect on what could be done better next time and allow the graduate to learn from their mistakes. That can be an important thing they can work on over the next six months.”

Graduates should look at not only their actions, she said, but also their reaction in these circumstances.

Ensuring you stay on top of your professional development will enable you to continue to work your way up that professional ladder. While there is no such thing as a “perfect” job, Ms McGowan said working on yourself will allow you to “get as close to a perfect job or career as possible”.