How do you survive your first graduate job? How do you make yourself more likeable at work? How do you prove your worth?

You may have found yourself longing for the day you graduate. But the new life of independence, and responsibilities is surprisingly bitter for some fresh graduates.

Graduates tend to be unhappy with their work as their transition is tougher than expected. However, this is not uncommon.

Here are three solid tips to help you survive your first job and step forward from the classroom into the office.

1. Be ready to collaborate

You may have learnt to be self-focused and function independently when you were a student. But in a work environment, it is essential to understand the importance of collaboration.

Work in a team in order to achieve common objectives. It’s a great chance for you and your new team to learn from one another and bring a set of skills to the table.

This won’t only allow you the opportunity to grow but to step out of your comfort zone.

2. Learn to be flexible

When you don’t know how to execute a given task, you may find yourself feeling demotivated and frustrated. But the right thing to do is to take these challenges as lessons for the future.

An entry-level job is an opportunity for you to learn and put theory into practice. Committing to being flexible will enable you to learn how to use your knowledge across different platforms and come up with a whole new set of skills.

3. Be open to criticism

The ability to accept criticism is not something everyone is born with. Many still struggle to receive constructive criticism and react defensively or even with anger.

But the truth is, criticism is a great way to discover your weaknesses.

This article first appeared in jobstore.com.

Jobstore is an online job site that specialises in providing jobseekers with the latest job opportunities by matching talented individuals with reputable companies in Malaysia. Find your dream job with over 40,000 job vacancies in Malaysia.