Farah Mujahed is a UAE-based Graduate Trainee at Schneider Electric.
She shares how to work smart and advance a graduate career with six brilliant tips.
1. Find your passion
Consider your job a journey to learn about yourself. The purpose is to grow as a human being; to discover what you’re good at, what you love to do, and what you dislike. Discover your “why”, and you’ll become happier and more passionate about your work and your life.
2. Everything is a learning experience
Remember every moment is an opportunity to learn from everyone around you, no matter their title. It’s important to pay attention when things go well and pay extra attention when they don’t. The key is to build relationships with the people who face problems by being their solution.
3. Leverage your team’s skills and talents
I think it’s very important not to feel intimidated by your colleagues or higher management because they were once in our shoes when they began their careers. Leverage their knowledge and experience and find ways to take what worked for them and adapt it to work for you. Learning from the experiences of others can save you a lot of ‘growing pains early on in your career. Thankfully, at Schneider Electric I find that higher management is very open to communications and information exchange, which is something I appreciate and value as a young graduate.
4. Don’t hide from mistakes
If you’re not sure about something, ask questions or make it known that you need help. Moreover, if you make a mistake, it’s important to own up. Managers and teams value someone who is willing to learn and it’s key to note that we all do this in different ways. Your manager and team will respect you a lot more if you are willing to be honest about your mistakes because we learn from our mistakes just as much as we learn from our successes.
5. Networking is key
While joining a new company and learning the ropes, it’s important to remember the value of networking and building relationships. Yes, digital and automation are where we are headed however the core of every business and career growth is strong relationships. Although many feel that the key to networking is connecting with like-minded individuals in similar fields, I feel it’s important to connect with professionals across the company and other fields as well, so that we can learn more, get a different perspective, and exchange knowledge. Remember, your biggest asset as a graduate is your network.
6. Respect is the foundation of a successful career
“Start your day on a positive note and ensure you speak to those you see every day. Be sure to say good morning to your boss and peers as you walk past their offices or on Teams, smile at janitors and receptionists in your office. I feel it’s important not to be so focused on getting ahead and work done that it’s business all the time. Treating the people who support us and help us every day with respect is very important.
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Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.