Dear Entry Level Employee

I have gone through many an orientation with a group of new employees.  Most of these employees are just there for a pay check.  They want to get paid so they can catch up on bills or so they can have a little extra money.  With them comes a laundry list of jobs they have had before and this job will likely be just a job on a list as well.  Many of them are just starting out in their lives and this is likely their first job.

The truth is that statistically many of those that go through orientation will either quit within a few months or get fired due to performance or policy issues.  Only a small percentage of those that are in an orientation will be at the same company a year from now.  However there is a way to beat the statistics and come out on top.  Below are three tips that I have seen from those that have been successful and move up from their entry level jobs into positions that allow them to use what they know to make a difference.

1. Avoid Burn Out
   Its easy to think that to make things work that you have to work 180 hours a week.  This however is not the case.  More hours doesn’t necessarily mean that more work is being done.  The more hours you work the more you begin to miss the little things that need done because you are tired and in a hurry.  Learn to parse out your time, take breaks and stay energized.  You may fill like when you are working more hours you are getting more done, but the truth is that a fully rested body comes up with much better ideas.
2. Always Give Credit Away
   Never take credit away from other people.  When they do a good job make sure everyone knows that they did the work and that they get the credit.  This will help built trust and respect with those around you and make working as a team even more fluid.  One of the hurdles that stop groups of people from accomplishing their common goals are glory hogs and a pride driven mentality.  When you refuse to give credit were credit is due and take all the credit, eventually you will truly be the only one doing all the work and the results will not be near as good.
3. Always Say Thank You
   Its important that you always say thank you to those that work with you, for you and above you.  Making sure that everyone knows that you appreciate what they do is very important for a number of reasons.  The first of which is that it helps build a network of people that want to work with you.  The more people you have around you the more you can get done.  Secondly, it lets people know that they are needed and important to the goal or goals of the project they are working on.Though these tips might seem to be very basic at first glance it is important to not over look their importance.

There will be days in your position will seem hopeless and exhausting, but hold in there.  Hard work and team work go along way.  The goal of course is that you will not always be in this position.  This position is meant as a means to and end.  Learn as much as you can, work as hard as you can and always continue to grow.