5 Things I Learned From My First Job
I was unqualified for my first job. It was an AV company with an emphasis on Stage Lighting, and I knew very little about stage lighting. Despite my lack of knowledge, I got the job and learned a ton of valuable things from the experience. As the company developed, they moved into more than just stage lights and into construction as well. Not only did I learn from this job, but I became a valued asset even when they started moving more than just stage lighting. Here are 5 things I learned from my first job.
Always Be On Time
It is imperative that you show up on time to work. Punctuation says a lot about you as a worker as well as your character. An employer wants to work with people who are dependable.
One day at work my boss told me one of the reasons he kept asking me back is because I showed up on time and didn’t bail on jobs. I was confused when I heard him say this; I thought that this was an implicit part of the job. After a while of working with him, I learned why it was such a big deal that I showed up on time and didn’t ditch work. Many of my coworkers showed up late or didn’t show up at all. My punctuality meant I was reliable. My boss saw that I was willing to work as soon or even before the clock started which caused him to think of me as a reliable worker. Not only was I seen as reliable, but when something inevitably does come up and cause me to be late, then I am given the benefit of the doubt.
But how do you ensure that you are always on time? You should always leave home 15–30 minutes early. You never know what will happen on the way into work, or what could get in the way before you leave. Traffic is a very real thing, and if you don’t account for a wreck, you will be late. I remember leaving 30 minutes early for a job and only showing up right on time because of traffic.
Be Flexible
You should never be afraid of trying something new. If you are being asked to do something new and different, that means that your boss trusts in your ability to accomplish the task. You have to be flexible to do new things. Being flexible is important because you never know what you may be thrown into.
I was once called in on a job to run the fly system for a show,.However, last minute I was put on to run the spotlight. I had never run a spotlight before. So I took my break times learning how it worked and figuring out how to use it. By the time of the show, I was able to effectively run the spotlight. I had to be flexible with the needs of the client.
Give Your 110%
Always work as hard as you can in anything that you are told to do. Try to go above and beyond what you are told to do. If you don’t know what else to do, either ask someone or look harder; there is always something else to do.
At one of my job sites, the client always wanted us to work. If we weren’t working, he wasn’t getting his money’s worth. What I ended up doing is looking for things to do all the time. The floor is dirty? Sweep it up. A box is unorganized? Reorganize it. Never be caught Twiddling your thumbs. I learned how to find things to do instead of having to wait for a new job to arise. I had to give it everything I had. When I took this mentality into other job sites, people started noticing and would talk about how hard I worked. Without even noticing it, I started standing out because of my work ethic.
When you are working, there shouldn’t be a lull in your work. You should be giving it everything you have until you are done. This makes you stand out and shows people you aren’t afraid of hard work.
Ask For Work
Don’t be afraid to ask for work. If you ask for work it shows you want to work and you want to put in the effort. The saying “the squeaky wheel gets the oil” rings true here. If you continue to ask for work, you will always be on their mind. This is also important because it teaches you to schedule your work. Doing so makes your life a whole lot easier and helps you remember when you need to come in.
I had a gig-based job for my first job so it was up to me to do my scheduling and to push for my jobs. Near the beginning of my time working with Stage Corp. I was uncomfortable asking for jobs when I was available. I would not receive jobs and wasn’t making any money. I finally started asking for work during my availabilities and the jobs started rolling in. I then had to learn how to schedule so that I wouldn’t double book or say yes to a job that I could not make.
Learn Through Experience
When you have a working opportunity, try to learn something new from it every day. Take the opportunity and run with it. Learn from the experience.
I was once put on as a crew leader for a job to put up stage curtains in a theatre. It required managing people and problem-solving. One of the curtains that was delivered was torn. I had to communicate this to my boss, the person who hired his company to install the curtains, and then the person purchasing the curtains. I learned that not everything goes to plan, and you need to be able to make decisions and communicate with the right people on how to get things fixed. I learned how to manage people and how to deal with problems by going through it myself.
By being open to learning and looking for ways to improve, I became a better worker. It’s important to try and find ways to learn and improve from every work experience you have. This will help you get more work from your company, and market yourself for any future jobs you might get.
My first job at Stage Corps was an amazing learning experience and equipped me for other jobs in the future. I learned how to learn on the fly and through experience and how to ask for work and be an active participant in my scheduling. I also learned how to give it my 110%, how to be flexible, and how to be punctual. These 5 things I learned have jump-started my working skills and can help you too. If you have these skills then it will help you in any job you are in and can help you market yourself in the future.
