Arun was always a popular, outstanding student. He passed out of premier institute with high accolades and easily got hired by a very reputed firm. He started his job with high confidence. His team members liked him a lot and admired his comfort in mingling with peers as well as seniors. At times he was envied for the courage to be visible and negate anyone's point of view. 

His job was not as structured as his studies were and he found that he completed the assigned work quickly, so he had time to spare which he spent by talking with his friends or online. He thought since he completed his tasks well in time, he was performing well. Naturally he was expecting Top Rating in the Appraisal and was shocked when he got the next level - 'Good Performer' tag. 

Immediately he demanded his boss to explain the low rating. And he was informed they were happy with his skills, but also expected better people skills for a better rating. Arun, realized his shrugged off taking extended lunch breaks with his friends because he was fast in task completion, reflected less than optimal utilization of office time. His quickly criticizing organizational procedures, dismissing another's point of view without letting them complete their sentences, made him look arrogant and inconsiderate. 

What happened to Arun is something that happens to a lot of freshers to work world. People join work thinking life in the corporate will be similar to the life in a college and the same rules apply. However, that is not the case. As a business school graduate said, "The real world is a big change, more than you can ever imagine when you are sitting in the classroom thinking about the outside world!". 

In a paper presented at the Annual Conference of the American Psychological Association, Paul Hettich said that 50-80% of new college graduates leave their first job within three years because of poor career planning and problems inherent in the college-to-work transition. 

According to experts, in order to prepare to switch gears from student to employee status and maintain the ‘high performer' tag, there are some things that freshers' should keep in mind. 

1. Time-Related Factors 

Students are usually very adept at cutting classes or attending just enough classes so that they have the required percentage of attendance, and it is these students that have a hard time facing the reality of going to work every day, five/six days a week (and sometimes in weekends too), often working 12- 14 hours. Showing up late is not something that is encouraged and can affect your performance reviews. 

Another time-related harsh reality is free time and vacation time. In college, you get used to taking long weekends away from campus - long semester breaks, Diwali and Christmas holidays. Unfortunately, you don't get that in companies. You may be lucky to get two weeks of vacation in your first job - but even with those two weeks, because you are one of the newest employees, you may not have much choice as to when you can take your vacation. 

The final time factor is time management. You may have thought it was tough managing various group projects, tests, and other activities while in college, but it will be even more of a struggle to manage your time once you are working -- and your future with your employer and your rate of growth depends on how well you can manage your time. 

2. Professionalism in the Workplace                                          

  College is a time when students usually try different things and can be irresponsible. In college, acting unprofessional might result in a bad grade or a lecture from a professor; in the workplace, acting unprofessionally can get you fired. 

In college, everyone tried to dress differently. At a workplace, it is important to dress appropriately. It will be useful to look around and see how others are dressed; especially those who are further along on the career path. 

To succeed, you must be seen as a member of the team that can be relied on to do your job. Deadlines are critical, much more so than in college. Whereas you might have been able to talk your professor into giving you an extension, you'll find in most fast-paced business environments, missing deadlines is unacceptable. 

It is advisable to stay away from office gossip. 

Mind your manners. Don't forget what you learned as a child. Please and thank you should still be the magic words. Always knock before you enter. Although barging into your friend's hostel room may have been okay, barging into your supervisor's office is not acceptable. 

In college, many students get by writing long drawn-out essays on topics they just know the basics of. In an office, it is fatal to pretend to know things you don't. However, do your homework. Learn what you need to know. 

Don't be afraid to ask questions. If you are assigned a project and are not sure how it should be completed, ask. It's better to ask before the project is due, than to have it delayed because it was done incorrectly. 

Pay close attention to corporate culture. Learn how things work within your company. Are relationships formal or friendly? Does everyone arrive early and stay late? Are lunch hours short or non-existent? 

3. College Has Not Prepared You for Everything                          

One of the comments freshers frequently make is that college did not prepare them for many of the challenges they faced as they made that transition from college to career. Many freshers say they were totally unprepared for: 

The emphasis placed on teamwork skills 

The importance of dealing with people from different backgrounds and with different personalities 

Personal finance issues and budgeting 

Living on your own without home or hostel comforts and security. 

Balancing work demands with family/friends/personal life 

Excessive interactions that too via different modes 

Remember,often the high tech environment could bring out the child at work or make us draw into our shell 

Office property is your property, treat it with care and caution, if not be ready to pay for the damage... 

Gadgets [laptops, cell phones] are not your possessions, unless sanctioned in paper. 

Many companies encourage mentoring. Look for someone on your career path who is willing to take you under his/her wing. Your own supervisor may not be a good idea, but someone else under his supervision may work well. 

Starting a new job can be a daunting experience. You are moving from a comfort zone of friends and familiar professors to place where you are expected to know many things and people can sometimes be intimidating. However, knowing what to expect and being prepared for the transition can make the process easier. 

If you would like to discuss this further or need some help or support in this or any other area, our counsellors would be happy to help. 
 
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