How to Deal with Confusion After Graduation and Land the Perfect First Job

Sarvesh cautiously smoothens his tie, checks on the polish of his shoes and looks at his clean shaven frame in the rear mirror of his bike.

Looks clean…..

Heading towards the pointer marking reception, he looks at in awe over the plush interiors and a suave front office executive at the reception desk.

Juggling a complex communications system with multitude of red and green buttons she asks, Yes Sir, May I help you?

Smartly Sarvesh hands over the offer letter issued to him by the company and in deep throated voice says “I have come to join after my campus recruitment drive, this is my offer letter”.

“Welcome aboard” said the receptionist and quickly directed him to the conference Room.

Sarvesh found himself surrounded by 10 more newly offered candidates.

Entry level hiring was a thorough process with the Organisation

Sitting and talking to them before the company senior executives walked in gave him a very different perspective, each one had done some spade work and had information on MD, staff, employees, salary brackets, appraisal process and rigorous inductions and orientations.

Though lucky to have done well in online assessments platforms, Group discussions and Formal interview and receiving a dream offer especially as a Fresher, over the period Sarvesh spent in the Company he realized he has long way to go!

Though immense opportunities or jobs for Freshers exist, some constraints he felt in transition from Campus to Corporate were :

• Bubble burst – From cushioned and secure world all of a sudden jolted to a reality of numbers, tasks, targets processes and protocol.
• Identity crisis can be quite predominant especially over role and position and actual delivery, one needs to quickly learn and take reins.
• Networking takes over entirely new dimensions. Seeking out and reaching out to unknown co-workers/colleagues is not that easy, skipping a meeting or backing out of conversation being unthinkable, giving opinions on issues being discussed considered as naïve or rude. Unsure about whether leaving office at/after office hours requires permission.
• Gap of what has been taught versus what actually one can learn from live projects / situations is real time experience. From being skilled to being proficient and experienced was a BIG LEAP which Sarvesh hopes to cover well!
• What goes well in College Canteen can land you in trouble. Gossip! Remarks! Criticism! Be wary of what you say… Talent is not the only thing, your behavior, attitude and soft skills speak louder than the PPT’s made. Even in arguments a strong control over language is required. Welcome to the world of corporate etiquettes.
• Succumb to Impress with knowledge, long hours, overtime becomes an unsaid thumb rule which takes its toll and leading to burnout long before you start blooming.
• Teamwork is tricky! Group projects in colleges are no way closer to what teamwork in workplace is. Contributing one’s bit completely however not being too bossy or enforcing others to conform. Quite a tightrope walk!

However, Challenges make life worth living. In spite of the challenges that freshers face in the corporate world, there are always new things to learn and new areas to explore. It is surely an enriching experience and worth every step in making you become a better person.

Look at these challenges as opportunities and you may end up climbing the corporate ladder at a marvelous speed, was what Sarvesh’s concluding remarks were to his juniors in pre-placement talk in his college exactly a year later!