When starting an apprenticeship it can be hard adapting to a working environment, so what tips can make that transition easier?
Morning Routine
It is important to not feel stressed when coming into the office/working from home, the last thing you need is to be running around trying to get everything sorted before the workday begins. By waking up 30 minutes earlier, it will allow you to have time to focus on yourself and set up for the day, have some breakfast, brush your teeth, and do things at your own pace. This will allow you to start work with a fresh mind and a stress-free environment.
Embrace Feedback/Appraisal
Being part of a professional working environment means more responsibility and expectations. It can sometimes be difficult to take feedback or digest appraisal and understand what you are meant to do with it. Feedback can sometimes be classed as a “bad” thing and could potentially be taken in a wrong way; remember it is super important to embrace it! By taking on criticism and learning from it, it demonstrates a professional attitude and will allow you to progress further in your role. Likewise with appraisal, take it on board and acknowledge what areas you did well in and be proud of yourself that you did so well!
Your Team
When starting a new role, you are going to be with a whole new team and set of different dynamics and personalities. It is key to try and integrate into the team in a positive manner, this will make your professional relationships, with the team, blossom and grow. It is important to understand your role and how that fits within the team; it will allow you to develop and understand both the professional boundaries within the team and yourself.
Being Open with Your Work
As this may be your first corporate job, be transparent about your workload and experience – nobody is going to hold you accountable for not understanding something you don’t know or if you cannot take on a certain amount of work. One of the most important aspects of a job is being honest with your co-workers and manager. Being professional is also about being true to yourself and team and by having difficult conversations like “I am struggling with the workload” shows that you are being open about the role and yourself, this shows how you can handle difficult situations with a professional manner.
Be Passionate
Always be passionate about what you are doing and enjoy it – work should not only be a place to learn/work, but you should be enthusiastic about what you are doing and be enjoying it at the same time. You are always more likely to be happier if you enjoy what you are doing and that will reflect not only in your work but also in your attitude towards your role.
Coming into a new environment is always going to be difficult: it is a new territory and can sometimes be hard to differentiate between how to be and stay professional. However, if you follow these five tips and be yourself, you will smash it and be a corporate pro in no time!
