10 Things they don't tell you about your first job
- Soft skills matter as much as technical skills (examples: communication, teamwork, good listener, learning to receive constructive feedback)
- The learning curve may be steeper than you think (there is typically a significant gap between academic knowledge and practical application)
- Deadlines matter
- Speaking succinctly is important (examples: grammatically correct sentences, eliminating "um", "uh" and "like" from your vocabulary)
- 2 weeks may be the most time you can take off in a year
- Your attitude matters
- Office politics are ubiquitous (observe and listen as you build connections)
- Great performance involves taking initiative
- It's OK not to have all the answers
- Don't waste time becoming great at things you hate