The Important Things We Can Learn From First Job

The first step into working life is as instructive as it is potentially terrifying. Most of us get a job when we are quite young, and the realization that we will spend most of our lives reporting directly to someone other than ourselves is not easy to suppress.

The thing is, our first jobs, no matter how ridiculous, will be remembered; they will teach us things we would never learn elsewhere, and to some extent shape the person we become later in our professional lives. Here are seven important lessons you will learn from your first job.

1.People skills are 90 percent of any job

The other 10 percent is made up of the actual skills you learned at college or otherwise acquired along the way. The problem is that we don’t exist in a bubble; we will be dealing with other people on a fairly regular basis.

Knowing how to communicate effectively and being personable will (for some of us) be the hardest part of the job. Even if you work from home as an independent contractor, you are still accountable to (and have to interact with) real people.

2.You always need to be two steps ahead

Our success in our job – no matter what job it is – is less about a specific moment, day, or project and more about the next one. Anticipation is something we learn early on, whether it’s anticipating what a client wants before they know how to ask for it, or anticipating our boss’s next request.

If our first jobs teach us anything, it’s that one of the quickest ways to excel in the workplace is to take initiative. Don’t wait to be told what to do; don’t make assumptions either, but if you are given the chance to jump on the next thing that needs to be done without being told to do it, you are likely to be rewarded.

I got my first job when I was 11 years old at a local rental company. They rented out chairs, tents, electrical equipment, and dozens of other things I couldn’t name. It seemed like almost every other employee who worked there was some kind of ex-convict, swore like a sailor, and chain-smoked like one. Needless to say, there were no staff picnics, and if there had been, I would have come up with a great excuse not to go.

3.Don’t be (too) afraid to make mistakes.

Conventional wisdom tells us that we humans learn from our mistakes. Science tells us that we might learn better from our triumphs. I suspect the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

When it comes to tackling a task, it is almost guaranteed that you will make a mistake now and then. That’s what the “learning curve” is all about; it’s an agreement between you and your boss that you’re still getting used to how things work. The point is this: Learning is a lifelong process. You will make mistakes. Fearing them or walking on eggshells all day to avoid them is no way to live.

4.Get used to the monotony.

With very few exceptions, most jobs out there are almost painfully boring. There may be slight variations, but for the most part, our jobs consist of the same activities and tasks every day.

It is important to learn to make the most of a predictable life; you need to find your own ways to change things up from time to time and add a little variety to your working hours.

5.You will work with people you don’t like.

This is perhaps the most important learning from our first jobs. It’s tempting to think that once you’ve taken a job, you’ll find yourself among like-minded people who have everything in common with you. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, you may feel that you should take an animal repellent to work.

I got my first job when I was 11 years old at a local rental company. They rented out chairs, tents, electrical equipment, and dozens of other things I couldn’t name. It seemed like almost every other employee who worked there was some kind of ex-convict, swore like a sailor, and chain-smoked like one. Needless to say, there were no staff picnics, and if there had been, I would have come up with a great excuse not to go.

6.Taking any job can be risky.

Getting hired is a cause for celebration for most of us, and for good reason. It’s the culmination of what could be months of lengthy interviews, waiting, and trepidation. Unfortunately, what comes after is anything but certain.

Unless you are the CEO’s daughter, your continued employment is anything but certain. Neither is your financial stability. Learning not to take anything for granted is one of the most important lessons you will learn in life.

7.Employment is just the beginning.

So you have successfully found a job. That’s great, but you still have a long way to go before you know everything you need to know about doing the job and, more importantly, you need to learn the culture of your new workplace.

You need to learn the names of the staff and memorize organizational procedures. Just because you work there now doesn’t mean you’ll see eye-to-eye with your new colleagues; it will take time and effort to make yourself a truly valuable piece of the puzzle. Find your strengths in the workplace and what skills you offer that others don’t in order to make yourself truly valuable.

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