How To Handle Your First Job Jitters
As another academic year comes to a close, current college students and brand-new college graduates are gearing up for what comes next. And for many, the summer of 2025 signals the start of a new professional chapter in their lives.
Whether you're preparing for your first internship or your first full-time job, here are five quick tips to overcome any first-job jitters and successfully navigate this new experience:
Before your start date, dedicate the time to developing a deep understanding of your company, the industry it occupies and the trends and challenges it faces. By researching in advance — this is one of my four steps to finding your first job after college — you'll be able to figure out how you can contribute to the organization right away.
Organize your calendar and identify days you have appointments or will be out of town. Communicate those dates to your hiring manager as soon as possible.
Consider adopting habits that set you up for success. That might mean setting a more regular bedtime, scheduling your workouts, and setting a monthly budget and sticking to it.
Ask lots of questions. Don't be shy about inquiring about the meaning of industry acronyms and company jargon or why your team does things a certain way. You're new on the job, so you're not expected to know everything yet. This goes double for interns, who should be using this experience as a tremendous learning opportunity.
Don't shy away from connecting with coworkers across your organization. Interns and new hires should not only introduce themselves to their team members, but also employees in other departments and divisions. Grabbing a coffee or taking a short walk with a coworker affords the chance to learn more about what they do, how their work intersects with yours and about the company's goals and operations.
Take advantage of any companywide programs or events. Use these opportunities to connect with colleagues and learn more about the business.
The only constant in business is change, which means you're likely to encounter situations where demands and expectations shift, often with little warning. These changes could require you to have to adopt new skills and priorities and possibly take on new tasks.
The good news for the Class of 2025: You know what it takes to pivot. The pandemic impacted your experiences in both high school and college, and a turbulent job market required you to reset your skills and career expectations time and time again.
By being flexible, you'll be able to adapt to whatever comes your way.
Learn your company's communication culture. Do employees typically communicate internally by email? Or do they use Slack, Google Chat or something similar? And do your colleagues prefer to meet by video conference or in person?
Work closely with your hiring manager to understand communication norms and preferences. In many workplaces, a Slack message demands an immediate response, while email replies can be a little more delayed. Effective online communication, such as sending a professional email with the proper tone, information and subject line, is a critical skill that must be learned quickly.
Also make sure to communicate your professional needs. Let your hiring manager know about your areas of interest, skills you'd like to improve and your goals for this job and your next one. Be sure to ask your hiring manager to clarify any requests or information that are unclear or confusing.
Many employers offer a wide variety of benefits to their employees. These can include medical and dental insurance, paid time off, and 401(k) contributions toward retirement. Some are offered at no cost to the employee, while some are paid through a paycheck deduction. Leverage your company's human resources department to help you understand how you can best use these benefits.
Additionally, some companies offer benefits that can help recent graduates with top-of-mind responsibilities. This includes student loan repayment offerings and learning and development programs where companies cover the cost of training opportunities so their employees can learn new skills or improve their current ones. Beyond this, some companies even offer tuition reimbursement programs so employees can earn another credential or degree.
It's completely normal to have some jitters when you start an internship or your first full-time job. But you won't be the new person for long. By being prepared, flexible, communicative and curious about your new workplace and the benefits it offers, you'll become a confident and seasoned professional in no time.
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