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08 Sep 2022
6 Min Read
Ailyn Low (Editor)
In collaboration with Alaminda Healthcare Berhad & Dr. Gan Jen Ling from Taylor’s Business School.
Going from your last exams of your final semester in university to starting your first job post-graduating may seem like its #goals. But the reality is, you’re probably setting yourself up for a real emotional trip that you may be unaware of and unprepared for.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed entering the workforce, you’re not alone. According to Dr. Hazli Zakaria, from Alaminda: Mental Healthcare Provider, these are the three major areas that cause the most stress to fresh grads during this transition.
1. Struggles to cope with any given task despite the eagerness to apply the knowledge and skill learned ar school.
Knowledge and skill serve as the foundation to work on anything in the workplace. However, the majority of the time, employees would need to make decisions based on the external environment factors and other organisational factors as well. Typically, this would require more time on the job which means mimicking exactly what you’ve learned and applying that knowledge at the workplace without analysing other factors, would spell disappointment.
2. Struggles to adapt to the different changes in a new environment and not being able to achieve that ideal work-life balance immediately (read as: MAJOR culture shock).
There’s no lie when working folks advise you to “appreciate your university life before starting work.”
The truth is that studying and working are totally different, where the former is much more flexible than the latter.
Hence, if you’re unable to adjust your life routine, you’re probably going to have a hard time coping with incoming tasks and be unable to improve efficiency for the first few months.
3. The absence of coping strategies and support systems going through these new different phases.
After 3 to 4 years at university, it makes sense that you’d feel a sense of belongingness and security in university with your standard set of friends and support circle. Coming out of it and into a new working environment, and especially during this borderless, hybrid era, it’s easy for fresh grads to feel like they don’t belong or are alone.
So if you’re a fresh grad feeling like you’re struggling in the working world, know that you’re not alone in this.
The good news is that there are practical steps out there that can help you transition from student life into adulthood as a fresh grad while prioritising your mental health.
Dr. Gan Jen Ling, Programme Director (Postgraduate) for School of Marketing and Management, Taylor's Business School shares how you can start practising them while as a university student and fresh grad.
1. Accept and embrace the impact of changes
We’ve to realise that it’s something that change is something we have to face and accept, so embrace it while you can! Yes, it’s not going to be easy and it would take a tremendous amount of self-discipline to adjust to the changes but it’s not impossible.
Practising self-discipline by either building good habits or eliminating ones that don’t benefit your new routine can be your first step. For example, reducing the amount of your work at the last hour or playing games till the wee hours of the morning and, instead, heading to bed earlier would bring about small changes to your routine.
If you’re still a student, try different part-time jobs during your semester breaks to better understand yourself in a working environment. Not only would it put some money in the bank, but it can also help you transition smoother as a fresh grad into a working adulthood life.
Getting a first full-time job that does not suit you can be a nightmare, but it can be a good lesson to understand yourself better.
2. Set and manage expectations you can meet
It’s normal to set high expectations so that we can push ourselves further. At the same time, for us to know our limits so we don’t set ourselves up for failure. Set your goals and manage them according to what you can do while reminding yourself that it’s ok to take a break.
You may be shy to take a break during working hours because, oftentimes, you’re labelled as ‘lazy’ or ‘not doing enough’, but if you don’t take care of your needs, you may start to feel negative about the job and, consequently, suffer from a burnout. Needless to say, you’d most probably experience some form of culture shock because student life would feel more relaxed and flexible so taking short but reasonable breaks could help with the transition.
3. Identify your limits and reach out for the right support
Whether you’re assigned a mentor at your workplace or not, it’s important to get the right social support. Have open and honest communication, with your colleague, mentor, or even supervisor, to learn or gain tips on how they’ve managed new tasks.
The key point here is to always communicate. Usually, many fresh grads experience culture shock because of the unfamiliarity of a new environment and transitioning into this new stage of life.
So, communicate with your parents to get tips, your colleagues to understand tasks better, your superior to understand their expectations, and most importantly, know that it’s ok to not know anything — that’s how we’re able to learn!
Mental Health Services & Student Mental Health Awareness: Did you know, according to a report by Employment Hero 50% of Malaysians agreed that the pandemic has caused them to de-prioritise their career with 58% of employees suffering from burnout and 51% having an average or even poor work-life balance?
Take care of your mental health so that you can transition into the different stages of life better. Find out more about how you can get professional help at our CHED (Heart Psychological Services) for free here.
So, to all you fresh grads out there looking to make a mark as you venture into this new stage of adulthood, remember that life is a journey so take the time to enjoy the ride, take in the view, and appreciate life itself.
Instead of seeking to control the environment you’re in, take initiative to seek advice from professionals instead, be proactive in seeking advice and help, and get the right support system in the circle to help at any stage of transition.
