After graduating, a new and exciting phase of life is ahead of you: entering work life. There are many ways in which your supervisor and colleagues can help you off to a good start. The person starting their career will also get useful tips for themselves.

The first steps in working life are the foundation on which a young person starts to build their career. This stage has a major impact on career development. Support from the supervisor and the work community is particularly important at this stage. The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health’s Towards a successful career study investigated how to help young people at the start of their career.

Young professionals need information and work in appropriate doses

According to Senior Specialist Telma Rivinoja, the key tasks, responsibilities and objectives must be clearly stated in the induction. However, it is advisable to give information in appropriate doses.

"At the start, it is also important to assign tasks in moderation. The new employee has a lot to learn, so their working pace is slower when compared to experienced employees. The workload can be increased as the work and the environment become more familiar," Rivinoja says.

According to Telma Rivinoja, it is worthwhile to closely monitor how a new employee’s work goes and their ability to cope at the start.

Getting to know your colleagues and working with them are very important. How the work goes and the employee’s ability to cope must be monitored closely in the beginning.

"A new employee needs affirmation that they are doing well in their tasks. Special attention is needed in challenging situations, as the young person has no experience with them. It could be wise to go through difficult situations in advance and give advice on how to deal with them. When mistakes happen, it is a good idea to go through the situation together and think about what to do next time. The employee should also be reminded that everyone makes mistakes and that they don’t define how good you are as an employee," says Rivinoja.

Offer confidence in the experience of competence

"The employee feels well when their strengths and resources are taken into account by assigning them tasks corresponding to their competence and minimizing workload factors. If a new technical application causes difficulties, its use can be postponed and more suitable tasks can be assigned instead. This is how the employee gains experiences of success. When the work starts going smoother, there will be enough resources to learn the new application," says Rivinoja.

It is good to give a new employee positive feedback on even small achievements. Simply saying “well done” is not enough; it is better to tell in more detail what went well in the procedure.

"It is important for the employee to learn to recognize their own strengths. Explain where the employee shows skill and what effects that has. Also reflect on what the employee has already learned. Show through words and actions that the employee is valued," says Rivinoja.

What can I, as a young professional, do myself at the start of my career?

It is a good idea for a new employee to actively seek out new colleagues, boldly introduce themselves and start conversations, for example, by asking for help with the workplace practices. The most natural place to get to know your colleagues is while working.

"Everyone starting their career has the right to receive support in their daily work, both in terms of concrete advice on practical matters and mental support. People are happy to help and share their competence – after all, asking for help is a sign of trust. However, if one person refuses, don’t be discouraged; just ask the next person," says Rivinoja.

"If you feel lonely at work, you should tell your supervisor. It is part of their job to facilitate encounters and find a project you could join. You can also ask to join an interesting project yourself. The workplace’s hobby clubs are another place to meet new people, and you can also suggest things to do together at the workplace."

Remember to be kind to yourself and give yourself enough time to learn the new task. There is no point in comparing your own working pace to the performance of more experienced colleagues. Instead, you should think about how you have developed in your job: where you have succeeded, what helped you along and whether you could replicate the approach in other tasks.

"Your life shouldn’t revolve around your job. Free time, friends and hobbies are important for wellbeing and balance in life. This way, you’ll also have enough resources to develop in your work," says Rivinoja.

The supervisors are there to support new employees

BBA Väinö Haapamäki is a Partnership Manager at Lennu IT. Carefully crafted CVs and LinkedIn pages, as well as active networking in organizational roles and at work alongside studies, accelerated his entry to working life. He already has three jobs in the industry.

"Induction is really important. Working closely with the supervisors has helped me get off to a good start. The amount of new information at the beginning can be overwhelming. Getting to know the different operative functions helps you to get a better overall picture of the workplace."

"It’s important to review things throughout the year. As humans, we develop, but we can also forget the details. If you need to understand something better, don’t hesitate to ask for help. You also have to be kind to yourself and take care of your own wellbeing," says Haapamäki.

Written by Tarja Sinervo; Images: Eino Ansio and iStock.

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