Reflecting & Changing For The Better
August 13,2024
Recently, I was talking to my kouhai (junior) about entering the professional world after graduation. We both agreed that this was a big change. However, what are the advices we have based on our own experiences. The following are advices I have for new employees based on my three year experience.
When you start off at your new position, your experience point is basically zero. Thus, it is important to level up by doing daily tasks and taking the initiative to do things out of your scope. For example, conducting how Google Analytics works compared to the company product is technically not my responsibility. However, doing these small out of scope activities creates a better image of you within the team. Furthermore, having additional knowledge may benefit you in your future career.
I entered my professional career with the assumption that I will have a good relationship with my co-workers. For example, Homer Simpson has Lenny and Carl and Masuo Fukuda has Anago-san. However, after working you truly understand why they are called “fiction.”
In reality, you are here to do a “job” and nothing more or less. At the end of the day, your coworkers are not your friends or family. It is important to keep professional boundaries between you and your coworker to keep a steady productivity. Additionally, coworkers are humans at the end of the day. There is a risk of them using the information you shared to their advantage. Thus, it is important to create a respectable distance between you and your coworkers. For instance, I eat lunch alone and decline any post-work social event unless it is a special occasion, such as a guest from a different country.
When you start a new position or work at a new company, I think most of us are concentrating to prove our self-worth. While this is important, it is equally important to detox and relax. Since avoiding stress is impossible, it is important to de-stress outside or work by having a hobby or interests. For example, I hit the gym before work and on the weekend to ease the mental stress caused by work. Besides the gym, I also sketch comic or anime characters to give non-thinking time. Another activity I recommend is to study or review topics you will not touch at work. For instance, I am studying AWS Cloud Practitioner topics and JavaScript certifications. Not only it is fun for me, but it gives me the opportunity to expand my knowledge for future career purposes.