Starting out in work? Here’s what you need to know

This autumn, a new cohort of young graduates and school leavers will enter the workplace. How can they make the most out of professional life?

The Financial Times asked people in their first few years of work what they wish they had known when they started.

Dive in

Ethan-Scott Hin

software engineering degree apprentice, BBC / open university

My one piece of advice? Dive in right away. It’s great when you start working on real projects with other team members, even if it feels intimidating. It means you’re doing work yourself and learning relevant new skills instead of watching someone else.

Ollie Mudd

Assistant Producer, Sky Sports, Rugby League

Continually raise your hand and embrace every opportunity, whether helping at events or engaging with wider parts of the business. This will allow you to make valuable connections. Once you’re in the industry, if you give it your all, the rest will follow.

Kieran Barry

Financial Conduct Authority

Growing up in a working-class household, I did not have a lot of knowledge about the corporate environment. I wish I’d known I had nothing to be nervous about. People in my workplaces have been incredibly friendly. There are usually a number of groups, especially equality, diversity and inclusion networks, within organisations to connect people and I would recommend taking full advantage of these.

Master office skills

Lydia Andriopoulou

degree apprentice, Goldman Sachs / queen mary university

Have clear communication with your team and manager. This helps build connections and foster a supportive environment where you can tackle difficult challenges. If there’s one thing I wish I’d known, it’s to be less afraid — less afraid to network, make mistakes and share my ideas. Even as a junior, my perspective is valuable. 

Emily Fife

degree apprentice, IBM / University of Exeter

Overpromising and not delivering isn’t advisable. Expand your network and find mentors, take online courses. Engaging with co-workers in the office or at events is beneficial to meet new people who can share their experience. I found that having several mentors can be really valuable.

Lexi Priestley

Associate, RAD Consulting Group

Your first few months are a golden opportunity to learn. Shadow the CEO, grab coffee with teams you don’t cross paths with, or sit in on client calls. You might find a hidden passion or, at least, build great relationships. Your fresh perspective is your superpower. If you spot a process that could be better, take the initiative, build a business case and show its impact.

Be kind to yourself

Takudzwa Masiiwa

social media executive, Dunelm

Don’t put pressure on yourself to think, “they’ve hired me so I should know everything” — you don’t and that’s OK. Be vocal about your needs. You can say, “I’m struggling,” and someone will help, or you can say, “I can handle this and I want to be challenged a bit more.”

Being organised and figuring out the tools that work for you is really useful. I use Notion and Monday.com, and My Calendar is my best friend. During that first year give yourself time to figure out what works for you.

Sophie Lupton

technology graduate, Virgin Media 02

It’s easy to say yes to everything asked of you but be honest with your manager about your workload and flag any pinch points early. That way, if you commit to doing something, you can make sure you deliver and get a reputation for being the person that gets stuff done.

Ashanti Barrett

Specialist Factual Genre Assistant, Channel 4

Don’t feel embarrassed, as everyone started in the same position as you. You will learn and adapt. I felt like a deer in headlights stepping into the adult world. One of my faux pas was related to office etiquette — I asked my manager if I could go on toilet and lunch breaks. It was funny looking back but working in the corporate world makes you realise you have freedom and trust.

Lauren Diamond

associate strategy consultant, OC&C

Don’t take things personally. Everybody makes mistakes, and people changing your work — redoing a slide, editing an email — are opportunities to learn, not criticisms to take to heart.

Don’t let one day get you down. Some will be better than others. It can feel like you’re constantly being assessed. Don’t analyse how you’re performing based on a single day. Focus on the painting, not the brushstrokes.

Get organised

Anas Bataweel

degree apprentice, IBM / manchester metropolitan university  

One key lesson is the importance of staying organised from the start. Managing work and apprenticeship tasks becomes easier when you develop good habits early. I ensure I complete essential business tasks by Friday to avoid being overwhelmed the following week.

Isabella Rocha

degree apprenticeship, IBM / manchester metropolitan university 

It is crucial to develop strong time-management skills early on. Unlike school, where each day is planned out, work requires you to prioritise tasks and stay organised without much hand-holding. One thing that helped me get ahead was breaking down my tasks.

Hannah Kay

apprentice, Deloitte

Block out enough time to complete work to a high standard and manage the week well to avoid the rush on Friday. Also, always double check who is on the recipient list when you’re sending an email. I once mistakenly sent something to the whole of my department, which is hundreds of people! I couldn’t recall the email, but people were nice about it.

Build a network

Lucy Sharrock

tax graduate, PwC

Hybrid working is brilliant because people can work from home when it suits their team. But especially in your first year, being present in the office and being around your peers and more senior colleagues is important. I’ve made friends for life in this job, which started by having a joke during our breaks. Working from home, you may not have that same opportunity.

April Ogiamien

Communications Co-ordinator, Sky Studios

My experience has proved the “six degrees of separation” idea time and time again: former co-workers may know your future employer. Take time to form meaningful connections with people you work with, or others working in the industry. Getting work experience helped set me up with this — it doesn’t need to be a formal scheme, but it proves valuable when it’s time to market yourself to employers.

Jack Merriman

degree Apprentice, Cisco / manchester metropolitan university

In technical roles, you will be working with people who have been in the industry longer than you have been alive. Always ask about their career journey and for any advice. Seek out constructive criticism from peers and managers and try to use it in your role. You will soon reap the rewards.

Rebecca

project management graduate, Babcock International

Developing a network is really vital . . . You get the opportunity to meet different people who can help to build your career. I was assigned a mentor and have had the same one for the past two years. If you don’t have a mentor assigned to you, finding one informally can help with your progression.

Ask questions

Aga Trojanowska

engineering graduate scheme, BAE Systems

Always ask questions and put yourself forward to be out of your comfort zone. You are just out of university, you are new . . . Use the knowledge of more senior people and don’t be afraid of them, even those “grumpy engineers”, who are the nicest people ever. 

Suneet Bansal

finance graduate, Virgin Media 02

Avoid buying new work clothes before starting the job. Before I joined Virgin Media O2, I bought lots of business outfits. Then I found most people wore business-casual (jeans, trainers etc). I would recommend seeing what people tend to wear around the office before buying anything new. Also, ask lots of questions, even the silly ones. No one will expect you to know it all, and you may ask something others have been wondering.

Alice Harwood

banking associate, Linklaters

It’s easy to think everybody’s really busy but actually everybody’s happy to answer questions. Ultimately, it’s good to check if you have doubts. Being organised is also key. I have a notepad where I write down my tasks and tick them off when they’re complete.

As well as focusing on the work itself, it’s important to look after yourself outside of your job. I enjoy cycling to the office and usually work from home on Fridays after a morning run.

Bring something different

Alice Bassett

Civil Service Fast Stream

Don’t be afraid to be honest and vocal about your interests, passions and background — it can lead to more interesting and fulfilling conversations, networking and opportunities, while contributing to your organisation’s culture. I would also say take opportunities to get involved and try different networks or clubs — you never know who you might meet!

Iris Neochoriti Varvarrigou

Data Science Graduate, British Airways

Never underestimate the power of soft skills. My role requires me to analyse vast quantities of complex data, from flight scheduling to aviation safety, to help inform key business decisions. But it’s not all about numbers. Being engaging, building rapport with stakeholders and using simple layman’s terms to explain your work can set you apart. My go-to is to use funny examples to analyse substantial data. Often explaining complex information in an interesting and humorous manner gets a much better reception.

Joe Duquenoy-Taylor

school relationships officer, oracy charity Voice 21 UK

You’re not going to change the world in a week, but you should appreciate the small yet profound impact you can have. I have learnt to take being the youngest person in the room and use this as an asset. Understand your voice is valuable, be a sponge and learn as much as possible but also challenge decisions and offer your insight. You have the right to be there along with everyone else.

Reporting by Suzi Ring, Phil Georgiadis, Sylvia Pfeifer, Simon Foy, Laura Onita, Daniel Thomas, Bethan Staton