Here’s the tea, Gen Zers: Transitioning from school or national service to worklife can be a drastic change. But you can adapt to the working world, find grounding and derive satisfaction in this exciting new phase of your life.
For one, if you look at the global scale, you are a vital part of more than one third of the world’s population of the next generation of workers. But to make your career journey count, how do you go from zero to hero and slay in the workforce?
Here are three pratical tips to shake off the new kid on the block stereotype.
Tip 1: Nailing the Elevator Pitch
Throughout your worklife, you will meet new people. Each time, they will ask you to tell them about yourself. The best hook to make your first meet-and-greet then, will have to be a great pitch. Whether at a networking event or a team discussion, arm yourself with unique details to sell the best version of you in less than one minute. From who you are, where you have worked at (if this is applicable), which team you are working in, to one or two fun facts about yourself, you need to describe yourself in less than one minute. By the way, this is a good chance to show how confident you are while helping others see you as a valuable team member.
Tip 2: Asking Around
If you have trouble meeting a work deadline, don't be shy to ask for help from your fellow colleagues. After all, they've probably been in your position before and asking a question, is not a show of weakness.
In fact, if you actively seek out the right direction and answer, others can recognise your passion and dedication to achieve the right outcomes in the task. This allows your supervisor to better understand you and your enthusiasm to achieve the best result. If it helps, start with small questions because once you get used to asking a question, you can grow to appreciate the face-to-face interaction as well.
Tip 3: Seeking Mentorships
Mentors are a great support lifeline at the workplace. They can give you important feedback on how to ace that workplace culture or overcome a challenge by seeing other perspectives you may have missed. If you do find one, be mindful of their time and effort to guide you on top of their busy schedule too. Set an agenda prioritise the tasks you need feedback on. And by respecting their time, they can even be a strong advocate for you during appraisal.
And did you know that mentors need not be from your department or workplace but from external organisations such as Young NTUC?
Join the NTUC Career Starter Lab and be part of Young NTUC’s latest pilot initiative with Singapore National Employers’ Federation today. We offer graduates and O.R.D.-ed national servicemen access to an attractive career trial programme with a host company and mentor. Perfect for youths like you who are looking to jumpstart your career!
Workplace woes are not a solo battle. Reaching your ultimate career goal is one step away. YOU(th) got this!
Read more: Debunking Myths About Gen Z Workers
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