We Learned So You Don't Have To: Advice for Brand New Professionals from Those One Year In

Advice was compiled from various colleagues and peers to share with current master graduates in their first year of a professional job. This advice is also relevant to new professionals to avoid burnout.

"One of the biggest lessons I learned this year is reflecting on the goals you want in this first position, the impact you can have in your area, and how the area you work in can impact you as a new professional. Once I created a larger picture of my goals in the position, it helped guide my work each semester."

“Learn and adopt the lingo of your new institution just as soon as you can. The faster you talk like the students do and refer to things the same way, the more effective you will be.”

“Make sure you have your own system of tracking things that may be important to you job performance.”

“Sometimes things don’t work out. If you have problems at work and need help, seek out the Employee Assistance Program through HR. It can connect you to counseling, support groups, and resources to help get you through this. You will get through this. And be stronger for it. Each day may seem like a year, but it’s just a blip compared to your whole life. Try to remember that.”

“Enthusiasm is contagious. Your excitement and positivity can be a breath of fresh air for an office or team. Don't think it's not cool to show that you're grateful to be there.”

“Office culture and politics are inevitable. Embrace it as much as you can. Tactfully play the "I'm new here, can you help me understand xyz" card if needed.”  

“Don't be miserable. If you find yourself in a situation where you are dreading going to work, decide what it really the root of this issue and how the problem can be solved. Reflecting with a seasoned professional that you trust can help you add some perspective to your worries.”

“Get out of your office and meet people around your division. We are too wrapped up in e-mails that demand what we need or want. Go have a face to face conversation and get to know people.”

“Learn to advocate for yourself. Hopefully your supervisor will for you, but it’s always important to learn to speak up for yourself. I learned (to advocate for myself) when I realized that at times my supervisor was doing what was best for the office or college instead of it’s people. While you need to keep that in mind, it’s important to keep yourself as the number one priority to prevent burnout.”

“You may not get all your questions answered and sometimes you have to be okay with the gray.”

“Seek out the professional development opportunities through your HR office. They are free and will expose you to people and skills you may not necessarily encounter in your niche department.”

“Stay current and have empathy. Staying current often relates to higher education, keeping tabs on innovations and trends. Regarding empathy, be sure to that you challenge yourself to understand or feel what another person is experiencing from within the other person's frame of reference. This will help you build strong relationships and grow.”

“Think about WHY student attend institutions. They want to experience something new and meaningful. We have the opportunity to help them critically learn, development, and grow. Something they’d never find anywhere else. You have to always keep learning and remember your professional values.”

“Accept that you are going to make mistakes, that you're going to screw up. It's normal. We like to pretend that student affairs personas are perfect, but truly each of us - from year one to more experienced - make small and major mistakes. And…we're still alive. So, be prepared to make mistakes in your first year on the job, accept and acknowledge it when it happens, make amends, learn from it, and move on. We develop just like our students.”

“Take care of YOU. If there's a wellness program at your institution, take advantage of it, leave your office for lunch, and never take work home.”

Thanks to everyone who contributed, you know who you are.

This advice is not all encompassing, so please feel free to add your advice in the comments!

About the Author

Emily Ancinec is the real life version of Hermione Granger. She embraces her large curly hair, is a nerd, and an avid reader. She can be found drinking several cups of decaf black tea daily while trying to make scarves work year round. Calls herself a runner but is really in more of a rowing phase right now. Calling Michigan home, she did her undergrad at Bowling Green State University and her masters at Texas A&M University. Tweet her @eraoftherose.