On working

I realize that I haven't written a post in about two-and-a-half weeks, but work's been pretty busy. The following is just some stuff I've picked up during that time.

It's interesting that we go to school for so many years, trying to figure out what to do with our lives, hoping to learn enough to get good jobs, and having successful careers, because it seems that the actual learning starts once we finish school, and begin working. I've only been working full-time for four weeks now, and let me tell you, the learning curve has been so incredibly steep, it's kinda ridiculous (but in a good way, nonetheless).

Since my first day, I've tried to be a sponge, absorbing everything I could, because there's so much to know in order to be successful. I've met as many people as possible- picked their brains, asked for advice, and began cultivating personal and business relationships. As a result, these are some of the most important things I've learned.

Expectations. It's good to have realistic expectations about the job- so many people complain about having so much to do at work, but honestly, what do they expect? It's work. We can't expect to enjoy every moment of it, but at the same time, liking what we do is a huge plus. It's also really important to understand the expectations of ourselves, so we can more successfully further our career.

Personality. Almost every job entails working with other people, and I work for a client services firm. During our first week, a partner spoke to us and said, "We're in the people business." It's not enough to be intelligent, and it's not enough to work hard- they both help (a lot), but there's so much more to it. Each day at work, I'm constantly working with other people- engagement team members, clients, etc. Being personable and developing relationships with people is sometimes just as important as the work itself. We have to know how to connect and communicate with others in order to excel.

Adaptability. Things at work are always moving quickly, and things can change just like that. I've learned that we must be able to adapt to all those changes, so we don't fall behind. Flexibility can help us stand out in the eyes of those we work for.

Attitude. It's all about attitude. Sometimes it's not about what we do, but instead, how we do it. Maintaining a positive attitude is the key, and building our reputation of being such a person can only help.

Like I said, I've only been working full-time for almost a month, but in that short period of time I've learned things that I'll carry with me for the rest of my career. My hope is that this can help you in any way.

On a more personal note, works going really well- I've met a lot of awesome people, learned a ton, and I'm excited for what's to come.