These fresh NTU grads who have already landed their first job share tips on how to quell those rookie jitters and thrive in your career
by Chrystal Chan
Try to separate your work and personal life. Do your best during office hours so that you avoid work spilling over into your personal time. In the same vein, don’t do any thing that’s not work related during office hours. Extend the same courtesy to your co-workers and clients and avoid messaging them after working hours as it is their right to relax and unwind after a long day of work. It’s easy to preach about work-life balance but difficult to practise it. However, once you get a hold of it, it will benefit your mental and physical health.
MARYAM BINTE MUHAMAD HAMIM
Aspiring art teacher
Always follow up! Much of your time in the workplace will be spent reaching out to your colleagues or clients for different things. People tend to say ‘yes’ and forget about it, so if you don’t hear from them for some time, drop a gentle reminder. Following up also demonstrates your interest in getting your work done.
MOHAMMED ADNAN AZAM
Co-founder of CREaiTORS
Look beyond just completing your work. Try to understand how your organisation is run. By talking to your colleagues, you’ll get a sense of their roles and responsibilities and how their work is intertwined with their daily lives. These insights can help you decide if you want to take on their positions in the future as you’re unlikely to hold the same role throughout your career.
JAIN PALASH ABHINEET
Founder of Think Design Make
If you are unsure about anything, do not be afraid to clarify things with your colleagues or your boss. It’s
always better to be safe than sorry, and this is especially crucial for doctors.
NUR NADIRAH LIM
Junior doctor
It’s okay to say something doesn’t work as long as you have made an informed decision after weighing everything else. As an intern, I had to go through some data sent by our partner in Luxembourg. My fellow interns and I spent two days trying to decipher the data, and it was especially challenging for me as I had no experience in the field. Eventually, we realised that the data was unusable and had to explain to our colleagues why we thought so, but not before we had evidence to back up our stand. In this case, we made sure not to proceed with a project that was based on incorrect data.
BERNADETTE TONG
Management consulting analyst at Infosys Consulting
Don’t expect to know everything and don’t expect to be given learning material. Be your own teacher and scour information from sharing sites such as Wikipedia and YouTube to find your own answers and solutions.
TAN YI KAI
Product development engineer at Advanced Micro Devices (Singapore)
Don’t let the fear of making mistakes hold you back from thinking out of the box. In fact, you can learn the most through blunders. As you are a fresh graduate, your bosses will also be more willing to overlook any gaffes you make.
NITHYA KRISHNAN
Technology analyst at Credit Suisse
Don’t keep to yourself. Open up, be sociable and try to have good relationships with your colleagues. You
don’t have to be best friends with everyone, but it is crucial to show that you can work well with others as a team player. At the same time, know your boundaries as you should keep a professional distance.
VANESSA LIM
Programme trainee at DBS
Provide regular updates on your work. This is especially important if you work remotely. Whenever there’s progress on the project you’ve been assigned, you should keep those involved in the loop. If the project’s status has been stagnant for some time, let your colleagues know about any obstacles you might be facing and get the necessary help. But be mindful not to be a nuisance and only provide information that is pertinent.
TEO HWEE CHUAN
Advanced systems engineer at Defence Science and Technology Agency
You can say ‘no’. It’s better to do that than to deliver subpar work. Share with your supervisor what you have on your plate and what your priorities are. You can also soften the blow by telling him or her when you can complete the work. Give a date that you can adhere to.
LOO JUN XIAN
Business analyst at McKinsey & Company
This story was published in the Jun-Aug 2022 issue of HEY!. To read it and other stories from this issue in print, click here.
