She Strengthens

Navigating the Uncharted Territory of Your First Job

When I landed a job at my local news station after graduating from college, I thought I was ready to take on the world. After all, I had interned at the station during my last semester and had followed around experienced news producers to learn the ropes. But little did I know that there’s a huge difference between shadowing someone and actually doing the job yourself.

The Steep Learning Curve

As a news producer, I soon realized that there’s a lot more responsibility and pressure attached to the position than I had anticipated. It’s impossible to be trained on every single aspect of a job, which means you’ll probably make some mistakes along the way. The key is to learn from those mistakes and find better methods.

Mistake #1: Ignoring Important Emails

In my first few days on the job, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of emails in my inbox. I made the mistake of not prioritizing my emails, which led to me missing important messages from management and coworkers. I’ve since learned to prioritize my emails by sender and subject line, focusing on the ones that require immediate attention.

Mistake #2: Fear of Asking Questions

I have a tendency to feel like I’m a burden when I ask questions, which led me to avoid seeking help when I needed it. This was especially true when I was tasked with doing certain things by myself for the first time. I’ve since learned that it’s okay to ask questions, no matter how long you’ve been on the job.

Mistake #3: Lack of Preparation

As a producer, I need to stay on top of current events to decide what stories make it into the newscast. I used to walk into work without having any idea what was going on in the world, which was not ideal. I’ve since started setting aside time to read the news and check emails before work, and I’ve seen a huge improvement in my preparedness.

Mistake #4: Poor Communication

Communication is crucial in my job, but I didn’t realize how important it was until I made some costly mistakes. I used to assume that people knew things without telling them, which led to confusion and mistakes on-air. I’ve since learned to over-communicate and double-check that the right people have the information they need.

Mistake #5: Lack of Confidence

Finally, I struggled with confidence in my ability to do my job. I used to second-guess myself and rely on others to reassure me that I was doing things correctly. I’ve since learned to trust my instincts and be more confident in my abilities. After all, I was hired to do this job for a reason!

The Takeaway

My first year on the job has been a wild ride, and I’ve made my fair share of mistakes. But I’ve learned that it’s okay to make mistakes – it’s how you learn from them that matters. By acknowledging and correcting my mistakes, I’ve become a better employee and a more confident person.