As the Class of 2016 steps into the big bad real world, it seems an apt enough time to remind you, our young friends, of the things that you should not do on your first job.
1. Being cocky
You may have been a university topper and were most likely your teacher’s pet. But the moment you stepped out of the gates of your institution, know that none of it really matters. Your mark sheets and certificates can only get you a job. And while your teachers would have been happy to cut you some slack because of your academic performance and ignore your cockiness there’s a good chance your boss won’t do the same. If you must be cocky, earn the right to it.
2. Posting updates about work on social media
While this holds true at every stage of your career, it becomes absolutely crucial when you’re in your first job. Almost everyone these days is on social media websites and it only takes a click of a button or a tap of a screen to read what you’ve been posting there. We cannot stress on how unprofessional it is to talk about how much you hate Mondays or how you’ve had a terrible day at work on a public forum. It will come back to bite you at a time when you least expect it.
3. Asking for a raise in the first year itself
You’d be surprised to know how many people new to the workforce nothing wrong in asking for a raise in the first three to six months or nine months. More often than not, the salary you’ve accepted when taking up the job is what you’ll have to live with for at least a year. The convention is that you don’t ask for a raise till you’ve completed a year in your job.
4. Getting involved in office gossip
While office gossip is almost always unavoidable, it is perhaps best that you stay away from the water cooler as far as possible at your first workplace. Gossips and rumours have a way of getting a life of their own. More often than not they affect company morale and almost always difficult to control. And if you earn the reputation of being a gossip monger in your very first job, it is a reputation that’s difficult to get rid off.
5. Taking sides
Contrary to what everyone may claim about ‘being on the same team’, every office has its cliques and people will try to ‘recruit’ you. And while you will find yourself drawn to people who have similar ethics and working style as you, it is best to stay as neutral and objective as possible. By taking sides not only will you be reducing your scope of influence, you will also end up reducing the opportunities to learn from as many people as possible. And isn’t that the whole point of the first job?
6. Being judgmental
While this is best avoided at any stage of your career or indeed your personal life, it applies a lot to the time you are working your first job. Don’t judge a book by its cover. As someone who is new in the workplace (and indeed the workforce) you should take your time to study the people around you. Some people may take more time to warm up to you than the others. Give everyone the benefit of the doubt; you never know who’ll end up being your best friend!
7. Going AWOL
Here’s the thing: when you go on leave, you simply have to return on the day you promised. There are very few reasons that can justify a delay in your return and missing your flight or bus isn’t one of them. When you don’t return 
from leave on time, you don’t just add to the pressure on your colleagues, you also reveal how irresponsible you are. And so, the next time you ask for leave or an outdoor assignment, this will always, always be held against you.
8. Showing your lack of interest
No matter how boring the meeting is and no matter what your other colleagues may be doing, you would do well by not revealing your disinterest in the meeting. Always remember this is your first job and the only person who is responsible for leaving a good impression on your behalf is you!
Source: Yahoo
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