3 things every first jobber needs to know in order to succeed

Starting your career after graduating from school is an exhilarating experience. Not only will you have your first taste of independence, you’ll also start to experience financial freedom. With a new set of responsibilities and a desire to start living life on your own terms, it’s important to be well-prepared and build good habits from the start.

Whether it’s picking up skills to climb the corporate ladder or using your salary to build a nest egg for the future, here are four important things you should know as you embark on your first job.

1. Set realistic expectations

Entering the workforce can be overwhelming at first, that’s why it’s important to pace yourself by setting realistic expectations and healthy boundaries so that you’ll be able to give your best even in the long run.

While you may be eager to go full steam ahead right from the start, you may quickly find yourself overwhelmed if you take on more tasks than you can handle. Not only will this create additional stress, but it can lead to missed deadlines and low-quality work.

Instead, try speaking with your manager to understand his/her expectations so that you can align yours as well. Such a conversation may also be beneficial in helping you prioritise your responsibilities, allowing you to tackle them more efficiently.

When it comes to managing expectations, this also includes setting boundaries so that you can establish a healthy work-life balance which can prevent burnout and also support your well-being and productivity. For example, pick up a hobby outside of work or create wellness routines (like meditation or reading your favourite book) to start or end the day in a good mood.

2. Learning doesn’t stop when school does

As you enter the workforce, you’ll quickly realise that learning isn’t confined to the four walls of a classroom. In fact, you’ll begin to learn that soft skills are just as important as knowledge-based or technical skills.

One of the best ways to advance in your career is to seek out opportunities to improve yourself. There is a wealth of courses on the internet that can help you excel in your current position and give you a leg up towards career advancement. If you’re looking to learn for free, there are plenty of helpful videos on YouTube for a start. Alternatively, you may also enroll yourself in online courses that specialise in a skill of your choice or professional development.

When it comes to soft skills, teamwork and effective communication emerged as two of the most valuable skills that employers in Singapore are looking for.  In addition to these, soft skills such as emotional intelligence (being able to control your emotions), analytical and critical thinking skills, and the ability to see the big picture are also important skills to equip yourself with. Sharpening these skills comes with practice but there are a host of free resources online that you can use to familiarise yourself with them.

3. Don’t wait to start planning for your future

Starting your first full-time job is a true mark of adulthood but this also comes with added responsibilities such as saving up towards bigger-ticket items such as a wedding or house, contributing to your family’s finances, or looking after your parents.

A good place to start would be by creating a budget and allocating a percentage of your monthly salary towards savings. This can include saving for a specific milestone or setting aside a rainy-day emergency fund.

By starting early, you’ll have a longer runway to save up towards your goals or ensure that you have sufficient funds to help you or your loved ones tide through any financial difficulties.

Another responsible way to plan for your future is by getting a term life insurance plan that can give you and your loved ones the added assurance as you take on more responsibilities as a new working adult. After all that your family has done to get you to where you are today, we believe that you’ll want to ensure that they’re cared for in return.

That’s why FWD Term Life Plus insurance helps you to step up and care for your loved ones at a price you can afford. With our fixed term policy, you’ll be able to secure a fixed premium from as low as S$8 per month¹ and enjoy this same premium over the policy period of your choice – starting from 5 years or longer.

To make it even more convenient, we’ve removed the need for any medical check-up or lengthy forms if you are in the pink of health². All you’ll have to do is complete an online declaration to get up to S$1.5 million of life coverage.

Your mistakes are just as valuable as your accomplishments

As you begin your career, it’s only natural that you want to do everything right. But remember that even mistakes provide valuable opportunities for growth and there’s no better time to ‘make mistakes’ than now.

That said, don’t forget to plan ahead so that you can live the life you want now without worrying about the future.