Young, Wild, and Corporate

A baby in a suit would be a more precise description. That is exactly how I felt on my first day of work. Regardless of all the part-time work and internship experience you have had in the past, the first day of your official full-time job is just so completely different. You realize this isn’t some sort of temporary gig you got for experience or quick cash (although some people do switch full-time jobs around like that too). This is the first day of your adult career, and everyone that is around you are actual adults that have been working in the industry for years and seem to know what they are doing.

First day of work vibes

So there you are, looking around and wondering how in the world you are supposed to become one of them. Last time you checked, some of the qualities you prided yourself on were test cramming techniques and beer pong. Alright, I’m exaggerating. You might have been great at doing nothing while pretending to be super busy and getting paid at your college part-time job as well. However, the moral of this story is that no matter how many bits and pieces of experiences you've had in the past, walking into that first “I am officially an office employee and need to wake up every day and oh my god is that a suit I am wearing how do I even iron this” moment is terrifying. Intimidating. And I don't know about everyone, but for some, incredibly exciting.

The land of opportunity. The “hey, I do not have to live off of Ramen and Mac and Cheese anymore” moment. The satisfaction of being able to prove yourself and actually receive a monetary reward for it. Except, there is one issue. How do you prove yourself in an environment where everyone is more experienced than you are? Smarter even? There you are, with absolutely no clue about what you are actually doing, who exactly you are at that moment and where the hell is it that you want to go. So you mechanically start going to work every morning, try to pick off and learn as many understandable tasks as possible, all while trying to become better at this whole adult thing. Which, let’s be honest, is not exactly easy, and doesn’t even happen over the first couple of years.

The most common mistake that many young professionals make is that they let themselves fall into a routine and never question anything that is being given to them. Some are lucky and immediately end up in companies with fantastic opportunities available; as long as they are proactive enough to grab them, that is. Some end up in the “you get everything thrown at you and if you survive you will do great one day but if not you are fired” types of environments. Which, in a way, are on the same level as the fantastic companies. Simply because if you do end up surviving and not getting fired, you will not only gain access to better opportunities but also have priceless experience. That experience can only help you grow further. But in order to gain it, you have to step out of your comfort zone and really put the effort to stand out. And let’s be honest here: we’re all scared to stand out at first.

As young professionals with minimal experience, proving that you are someone who’s opinion is worthy to be heard of is not simple. Most people are older, comfortable, experienced, and as polite as they may be, simply do not care about you or your opinion. They do not think you can put anything new on the table. And being put in a position where you need to expect one of those people to provide you with any sort of deliverable might be tricky. Simply because they do not care that you need it. You are too young and irrelevant to do anything. Or so they think. The only way you can grow is by making your voice heard. By throwing your weight around and proving that you are someone worth being reckoned with. Obviously not for each and every case but when you finally begin to properly understand what you are doing, and you are the one responsible for the deliverables that can make you or break you in front of your career stakeholders, there is no place for weakness. You have to get up and ask for what you want and go as far as it takes to get it. Speak to them, escalate to their managers, think of whatever you need, but you need to prove that you are as important as they are and as knowledgeable in what you are working on. You might not be, but if you do not believe in yourself then nobody else will.

Yes, there is a risk. If you want to prove yourself, speak up. But keep in mind that there is always a risk that someone might dislike you. Ask for you to leave. Think that you are perhaps pushing some sort of line. Maybe you upset the wrong manager. But then again, if you don’t take risks, how will you end up growing? I am not saying challenge each and every occasion but when a situation grows difficult and warrants it, then go ahead. You need to prove that you are doing everything in your power to not only fulfill your obligations but also to grow further, into more important positions and responsibilities. Do you put yourself at the risk of getting fired in some of those situations? Perhaps. However, when you sit quietly and do the bare minimum, do you also put yourself at a risk of one day being fired or leaving and nobody even noticing? Yes, you do. And I don’t know about you but I would always prefer to leave on a loud note, rather than slip away unnoticed. Especially if I spent a certain amount of my life on that place or activity.

It does not matter if you still chug twelve packs of shitty beer on the weekend and occasionally wake up in other people’s houses without any recollection of ending up there (I hope you don’t still do that EVERY weekend, and if you do, I want to hear the stories). It does not matter that half the time your solution to problems is binging on Netflix and devouring ice cream while sitting in your room locked away from the world. It does not matter if you still live with two or three roommates in a college type apartment that is only a one step upgrade over the previous one. Being a young professional does not mean immediately becoming a successful adult with an organized life. And having a career and leading the lifestyle that you love is still possible. You can become good at your job while still being a young, wild, and slightly more experienced baby that finally knows how to properly iron that suit. Just make sure not to drunkenly tell your boss something inappropriate and you will be fine.