First Grown Up Job Guide: Gaining Respect

By March 13, 2019For Talent

As the old saying goes, ”Respect is something that is earned, not given.”

If you want your colleagues to start treating you like a real part of the team then you need to demonstrate your worth, work hard and do everything you can to prove those pesky graduate stereotypes wrong.

Here are some of our top tips.

Listen more than you speak

No one likes a know-it-all. Smart professionals know that in order to be an effective communicator, you need to listen to your colleagues instead of always jumping in. Give everyone a chance to speak, always wait your turn and don’t interrupt when someone else is speaking.

Be inclusive

Real team players look out for their colleagues. If you see someone sitting alone at lunch, strike up a conversation with them. If you know someone is having a tough day, make an effort to include them in conversation. Simple, kind gestures can make a huge difference. People will respect your effort

Own up to our mistakes

Making a mistake in your first graduate job can seem like the end of the world. In fact, you might be so traumatised that you want to just forget about the whole thing. However, if you really want to impress your peers then you need to show them that you are mature enough to own up to your mistakes. Admit when you’re wrong, apologise when you’ve made an error and most importantly, know when to move on and put it behind you.

Avoid office politics

Save the drama for your personal life. If you want to be respected at work then you need to rise above office politics. Don’t get sucked into idle gossip or Chinese whispers. Take people at face value, extinguish rumours and don’t take sides in arguments.

Always remain professional

Whatever you do, do not get drunk at social functions. Even if the event is not held on the company’s premises it is still a work-event which means that it is extremely unprofessional to get hammered and start slagging your boss or acting inappropriately. Always err on the side of caution.

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Author Alice Murray

Alice Murray is a Content Creator at Jobbio with a passion for Employer Branding and Graduate Culture. She's a keen traveller and a self-proclaimed lazy runner.

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