Black Collegian Career Center

Congratulations! You will soon graduate and begin your new journey in the workplace of the 21st Century. Perhaps your goal is to apply your talents in communication to sell and market products and services. Perhaps your goal is to apply and develop your knowledge of information technology to create new systems to store and organize medical information. Perhaps your goal is to contribute to the success of clients in the world of social services. Perhaps your goal is to apply and develop your knowledge in biochemistry to contribute to the development of new treatments for heart disease. Perhaps your goal is to apply and develop your talents in leadership to lead your own company into the future. As you transition to the workplace, your knowledge, talents, and commitments will serve as the foundation for your success. Although there is no standard formula for success, we offer for your consideration eight steps, each of which is designed to promote your successful transition to the world of work.

1. Know your geography. As soon as you graduate, your journey may lead you to live and work in an entirely new city and state. If it does, you will be fortunate if you have relatives or friends in the city in which you have accepted a position. Ideally you should visit the neighborhoods where you may want to live before you move. It would be wonderful if you could find an apartment, move into it, and get settled a week or so before your day to report for work. You can begin your search on the Internet at www.rent.com, www.apartments.com or www.homestore.com. But if you are like most recent graduates, you will not have enough money to apartment hunt before you begin work. Consult your employer-contact. Ask about temporary housing. Many employers own apartments that they allow new employees to use. Getting settled in a new city is never easy, so ask your employer-contact for help.

Many apartments will never be advertised. As you already know from your experience as an undergraduate, there are important factors to consider when you rent. These considerations include roommates, credit checks, and payments in advance. Any one of these factors may influence your decision. For research on local neighborhoods nationwide, an excellent resource on the Internet is www.bestplaces.net.

Once you complete your move, acquaint yourself with your neighborhood, local area, and community. One way to meet new friends is to join an organization for new professionals. One way to minimize the chances of feeling isolated is to reach out to create new connections in your community. Although your career may ultimately lead you to different parts of world, your network of friends and colleagues in the community will serve to enrich the quality of the life you lead.

2. Manage your finances. An important key to success in your career is to manage your finances. College graduates nationwide now shoulder an average debt of around $17, 000. On top of loans needed to finance an undergraduate education, 41% of college seniors now carry an average balance of over $3000 on credit cards. Moreover, new graduates face the inevitable challenge of basic expenditures for food, rent, and transportation.

What can you do to manage your finances successfully? First, develop your budget. Although there will always be temptations to spend, always strive to spend within your means. Write down your expected monthly income, and regularly track your expenses. Second, remember to pay bills on time, and minimize your use of credit cards. Interest charges on credit cards accumulate quickly. Third, avoid the temptation to overspend. If you stay within your budget, there may be an opportunity for you to set money aside for future purchases. Fourth, pay back undergraduate loans to reduce debt, now and for the future. Dependent upon the nature of your loans, grace periods can vary. If the option exists, consolidate your loans at reduced interest. Finally, start early to save for retirement. If the option exists, remember to participate in your organization’s retirement programs. If possible, set money aside from your monthly income to create an emergency fund.

3. Commit to continued learning. New learning is an essential element of the workplace in the 21st Century. Simply put, your workplace is an environment in which to apply and develop your knowledge, creativity, and talents. To be recognized by your organization, apply your talents to develop knowledge and expertise as applied to your professional role. Your value as an employee will be determined on the basis of your productivity, accuracy, and capability to communicate successfully with colleagues and clients. Second, become familiar with the structure, culture, and procedures of your organization. Consult supervisors and colleagues for their perspectives. Third, be open to new assignments. New assignments can provide an opportunity to develop expertise. Fourth, although the workplace can be stressful, strive to be friendly and positive, even in the face of adversity. Your attitude and actions contribute directly to your success in the workplace and strengthen colleagues’ perceptions of your commitment to your professional role.

4. Develop your talents in the workplace. The world of work offers an extraordinary opportunity for you to apply and develop your talents. In the view of Dr. Donald Clifton, an eminent organizational psychologist, our strengths are natural talents developed to the point of excellence. The successful performers in most organizations, Dr. Clifton points out, are employees who maintain awareness of their natural talents and strive to develop them each day in the workplace for success. Your talents are your natural gifts. Reflect upon what talents you enjoy the most in your new role. Reflect upon what aspects of your work seem to flow most naturally and easily when you apply your talents. Reflect upon past experiences when you were successful in and out of the college classroom. These talents of potential may be viewed as the pivotal talents to apply and develop for success over the course of your career.

5. Apply your creativity. Most organizations view employees as important investments. One key for success is to strive to think creatively. Your knowledge, talent, and creativity all contribute to fulfillment of the mission of your organization and increase your organization’s chances for success. Here we think of creativity broadly to include the capacity to think logically, analytically, and systematically, with new and creative perspectives on ways to understand and derive solutions to problems. The analytic thinker who can think outside the box in order to generate new solutions and perspectives on problems will be valued highly, especially in today’s competitive marketplace. As you reflect upon your new role, your ability to think creatively will only serve to enhance the success of your organization, your success, and your future value in the marketplace. As you move forward in your first year on the job, always look for new ways to contribute creatively in your role through the application and development of your knowledge, talent, and values.

6. Apply your values. Knowledge of your values is important for success in workplace. Equally important is knowledge of the values and commitments of your organization. First, strive to understand the mission of your organization. Rather than being satisfied with superficial understanding, work to broaden your understanding. Visit your company’s web site regularly. Read your organization’s mission statement. Speak to your supervisor(s), colleagues, and managers in your organization for their potentially unique perspectives. As you proceed, your knowledge of the mission of your organization will only increase. Knowledge of your company’s mission will allow you to better understand ways in which you can best contribute. Second, reflect upon your own values as a person. You were hired by your organization as an important investment. Your knowledge, creativity, and talent all contribute to your company’s success. Third, as you move ahead in your first year on the job, reflect upon whether your own personal values correspond to the values of your organization. By the end of your first year, you will know better whether the values and commitments of your organization are consistent with your personal values and commitments. If you ultimately find your values and commitments to be inconsistent with those of your organization, you may want to discuss the issue with your supervisor, depending on the nature of your relationship with your supervisor. An alternative, of course, is to begin to explore new options for employment elsewhere.

7. Develop your knowledge of information technology. The revolution in information technology empowers organizations to reach new levels of productivity. Your knowledge of the fundamentals of information technology will only serve to enhance your value as an employee. First, your value is enhanced if you develop proficiency in the use of office software. Second, your value is enhanced if you develop proficiency in the use of search engines to conduct research for your company on the Internet. Third, expand your knowledge of information technology above and beyond what is normally expected in your role. Your knowledge of specialized software designed to address the unique needs of your role and organization will advance your value as an employee and strengthen your marketability. Fourth, always remember to view e-mail as an essential tool for business communication. E-mail and electronic newsletters are now common methods of communication for organizations in the private and public sectors. Be sure to remember to proof and edit e-mail messages before you send, and avoid the use of symbols, slogans, and slang. Your e-mail messages will directly reflect your professional image in the workplace.

8. Develop your resume. Too many professionals forget to regularly update their resumes. Your new professional position provides an extraordinary opportunity to strengthen your resume above and beyond what was included before you graduated. Your resume is an essential tool by which to communicate and market to employers your experience, education, and skills. Equally importantly, your resume is an essential resource by which to remind yourself of your success and accomplishments.

The chronological resume is the most popular format for new college graduates. The chronological resume presents and organizes your education and experience from most recent to least recent. To start your updates, review your job description and identify elements to add. Your resume is an important tool with which to review your success in order to build confidence, thereby serving as an important reminder of your new scope of responsibility and what you can and will accomplish.

Resumes must, of course, be carefully crafted and checked for errors. Importantly, recruiters may view resumes with even one typographical error as reflective of lack of professional commitment. You can visit www.rileyguide.com on the Internet for guidelines on resume development.

Conclusion

Your new role as professional in the workplace of the 21st century will soon begin. One of the keys to your success is your recognition of challenges and opportunity. The workplace of the 21st Century offers you an extraordinary opportunity to apply and develop your knowledge, talents, and values. Although there is no standard formula for success, your talents, education, and commitments create the foundation for your transition to the world of work. Hopefully, the steps outlined in our article will only serve to accelerate your success.

Andrew Strowig is Career Counseling/Retention Management System Coordinator for the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.

Jaime Page-Stadler is Assistant Director for Career Services at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.

Morris Hampton is an Academic Advisor with the Undergraduate Advising Resource Center at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.