How to Make the Transition From School to Work

Many graduates experience a great deal of difficulty when entering the workforce for the first time. There are certain elements of becoming an employee that graduates may not have been prepared for during their time as a student. 

Physical transition - Becoming more sedentary

Students tend to be somewhat active during the daytime, as they must walk from class to class, and may be involved in intramural or extracurricular sports. Many students will not be prepared to sit in the same desk for upwards of 8 hours a day, and may not be thrilled about the idea of losing an hour or more a day commuting to and from work. All of this time spent sitting may hurt the body, as well as the soul.

Becoming more sedentary also has specific physical effects, such as weight gain. Many students have flexible schedules, which allows for plenty of time to squeeze exercise into the day. Graduates may find that as they enter the “real world”, the schedule change of working 9-5 may not allow for daily trips to the gym. Combine that with the likelihood of being too tired and not having time to cook a healthy meal, fast food may enter its way into the equation.

Becoming responsible – No more cutting class

This may be the biggest wake up call for graduates making the transition into the workforce, simply because you can’t cut class anymore. Show up late one too many times and you’ll find yourself looking for a new job.

You want me to do what?? - Entry level work

Most students want to change the world; they are passionate and full of ambition, and a lucky few are able to realize their dreams and make a difference right out of school. For the most part however, that ambition turns into painful confusion and dismay when new graduates realize they are stuck performing menial tasks (or at least tasks they feel they are over-qualified for) during their first few years at their new company.

Dress for success – No more yoga pants

Who hasn’t rolled out of bed 10 minutes late for class and thrown on their finest pair of ripped sweat pants? This won’t cut it in the corporate world unfortunately; you may not get fired for wearing improper clothing on the first day, but at the very least your professional image will take a hit. You may need to buy some professional clothing in preparation for your first day, if you haven’t already.

Professional behaviour – No social media at work

Are you used to constantly checking Twitter and Facebook throughout the day? You may have to rethink those habits when entering the workforce. Many employers block social media websites from their computers, and many will relieve you of your duties if you choose to use your smartphone while working. Furthermore, if you work on a computer all day, most offices have tracking systems that monitor everything you do on the while on the company computer.

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