5 Tips for Transitioning from Full-time Student to Full-time Employee

Leaving your life as a student behind and entering the working world is a scary and overwhelming experience. It can be hard to say goodbye to the life you’ve been comfortable living for so long - and very exciting at the same time. As someone who only ever had part-time, retail jobs before starting my internship, I was so stoked to dip my toes into the world of a career I could see myself doing… and equally nervous. Rightfully so, as there have been a few challenges so far. Adjusting to a new schedule, learning how to productively manage my time and battling imposter syndrome have all been struggles for me. Now that I’ve been in my new role for about a month, I have a few tips and reminders for combating these issues and for making the transition to your new normal as smooth and comfortable as possible. Here are 5 things to remember when starting your first full-time job:

1.Get on top of your time management skills

As a student, I am the worst procrastinator of all time. My motto has always been “why do it now if I can do it later?”... definitely not the healthiest mindset to have. I will leave everything, including final assignments, until the last possible minute. Knowing that I am able to pull off pretty decent grades doing this just perpetuates the cycle and I have been stuck in this never-ending stress loop for my entire University career. Transitioning to the working world has been so different in this sense, because I literally don’t have time to procrastinate. With trying to juggle multiple projects at a time, spending a lot of time in meetings and ensuring that I’m not doing work after hours, it has become evident to me that organization and time management is key. It has not been the easiest transition so far and I have had to call on tools like Google Calendar and Notion to start blocking out my days in advance. Focusing on time management has allowed me to make sure that I prioritize the important stuff and allow time for everything that I need to get done in a day. It can also be super overwhelming at times when you have a lot of different tasks to juggle, but reading up on time management tips, like the ones in this Forbes article, has been extremely helpful. I have also learned that time management skills are a constant work in progress. But I feel that getting on top of time management early on in my transition to full-time work has been incredibly helpful and allowed me to limit my ability to procrastinate.

2.Set intentional work/life boundaries

Seriously! When you’re a student, your whole world revolves around school and your academic schedule. Whether it’s looming assignment deadlines or you’re fixating on your GPA, you often find yourself thinking about your school life outside of the classroom. When transitioning to full-time work, making sure that you keep your time away from the office completely to yourself is incredibly important. You’re not getting paid to think about work at home! Setting boundaries around work and really nourishing your personal life is essential to avoiding things like stress and burnout, which will really benefit you in the long run. I know how tempting it can be to get a headstart on emails at home or brainstorm ideas for a new project while you’re off the clock, but it’s important to remember that you should be saving these tasks for the office. I have found it helpful to spend my time outside of work cultivating my personal relationships, taking care of myself, practicing my hobbies and passions or even binge watching a new tv series (I recommend Succession). At the end of the day, failing to maintain a healthy work-life balance is only going to make the work you’re doing harder.,So do try to set those boundaries for yourself early on.

3.Stay curious

Whether you’re just starting a work term, a new summer job, or you’re taking the first steps in your post-graduate career, transitioning to full-time work is a valuable learning experience. You might think that your educational background has set you up to be an expert in your field, but you’ll soon realize how much you don’t know. Use this time to try new things, gain new career insights and most importantly - never stop asking questions. Getting a job is an exchange - you give the employer all of your wonderful skills and education and they provide you with an experience you’ve never had before. It’s a learning opportunity! I have found it helpful to stick my nose into every area of work that you can. Learning about the behind the scenes processes, quizzing my coworkers on what a day in their workday looks like and asking about professional development opportunities has provided many insights for me and the team. My advice? Take advantage of what your position has to offer because most of the time there are more opportunities than meet the eye.

4.Lean in to networking

One of the most valuable aspects of a new job is being on a new team! It can be weird and uncomfortable to go from seeing your friends and peers every single day at school to feeling like you only spend time with your coworkers. Though it’s important to maintain those friendships outside of work, don’t overlook the people that you see in the office everyday. I have had the wonderful opportunity to learn a lot about my colleagues and their work by conducting informational interviews. I have not only learned so much but I have also been able to ask if they know of anyone in the industry that would be good to chat with and gain insight from. Professional networking can be really fun and interesting and is a really valuable skill to build and maintain early on in your career. Get used to picking people's brains and having professional conversations as you never know when this will lead to a connection that can change your life! The contacts that you’re going to make now in your new role will probably last you a life-time and might even open doors and lead to exciting opportunities down the road. Be curious about everyone - and kind!

5.You were hired for a reason

This is the hardest one to remember, by far. Starting a new job and having to complete tasks you’ve never done before while following a schedule you’re not used to can be overwhelming. We are often our own worst critics and failing to meet a deadline or making a mistake at work can really make you feel like a failure who doesn’t deserve to be in your position. It’s easier said than done, but I have found it helpful to try and be kind to myself. Remember that you were hired for a reason! Your employer thought you were the best fit for the role out of an entire pool of applicants. They saw your experience, technical skills and watched you rock an interview - they made a bet on the potential they saw in you. It’s really easy to doubt yourself, but try not to self-sabotage! Go into work knowing that as long as you show up with a can-do attitude and a willingness to learn what you don’t already know, you can accomplish anything.

All in all, my transition from student to working life has been so exciting and educational. I’m finding that my time at the University of Alberta has prepared me for it in so many unexpected ways, and I am eternally grateful for the skills I've been able to develop throughout my degree and how they translate to my internship. I’m also grateful for all of the challenges I've faced so far, and what they’re teaching me. So no matter what you’re up to this summer, remember that you got this! Your University experience is invaluable and I’m certain that you’ll be prepared for success, no matter how it feels right now.

This article was written by Hannah Wiley, the 2023-24 Arts Work Experience Communications and Program Support Intern. Hannah is currently in her fourth year of her Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in English and minoring in Women's and Gender Studies. Hannah will be continuing her Communications work in summer 2024 at the Worker's Compensation Board - Alberta and is looking forward to returning to campus as a Career Peer Educator during the 2024-25 school year. She can't wait to graduate in 2025 and hopes to continue her education by pursuing graduate studies in the future.

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