My first 10 months in a graduate job.

Starting my career last December, I could never have imagined that I’d be working from home four months into my new job, in the midst of a global pandemic that may well change how businesses, teams, and individuals work forever. Needless to say, it’s been a steep learning curve throughout the last 10 months, and I want to share some key things I've learnt, so that hopefully you can learn from both my failures and successes.

Socialise with your team

The current situation can make it harder to socialise and get to know people in your team and the wider company, so I’d encourage you to join in with any activities made available to you. The better you get to know your team, the easier it is to work together, as you’ll understand how each other works. Through the events and social clubs hosted by Aiimi, I’ve had the very fortunate experience of getting to know our amazing team.

Find a mentor

Whether it’s someone whose career you aspire to, an expert in your field, or someone with a similar personality type, find a mentor within your company who you can turn to for advice and help with managing the first few months in your new job. I can’t emphasise how much this has helped me in the first portion of my career. It can be the same person throughout, or you might find different mentors in different stages to help with your career progression.

Take your lunch away from your desk

Your first six months at work can be exhausting both mentally and physically, so it's important to take a break to gather your thoughts from the morning and prepare for the afternoon ahead. I’ve found leaving the house for a walk can help, and taking that time out really pays off. It’s also particularly important right now, when people may be feeling more isolated.

Don’t be afraid to ask

I know this can sound super cliché and is very common advice given to grads starting a new job, but I can't emphasise it enough. Aiimi's great culture has allowed me to ask about so many aspects of my career. This can range from questions about a specific project or piece of work we’re completing, to asking about what different things mean on my payslip, to gaining some insight into my colleagues' careers. The main person who is affected by you not asking is... you! (Another cliché saying but it couldn’t be more true.)

Don’t worry if people forget things

At a time when many people have had their working situation turned on its head, having to juggle their families, careers, and the worries of the pandemic, your colleagues may forget to do something for you, to send you an email, or to invite you to that meeting. Don’t take offence at this, I can guarantee they aren’t doing it intentionally and I know from my own experience how easy it is to forget things. That said, it's OK to nudge people if you need something.

Fail fast

The faster you fail, the faster you will learn, and the faster you can acknowledge your mistakes, the faster you can learn from them. Having these learning experiences will consistently help you through the first few months. Taking some time to reflect can often give you the ability to look at mistakes you made and work out where you need to improve.

Lastly, all I have to say to other grads and new starters is welcome to the working world and I wish you every success in your career!

If you're looking for a new opportunity, check out our open roles at Aiimi. From developers and designers, to consultants and data engineers, if you've got an enquiring mind and a commitment to quality, we want to hear from you!