9 First Job Mistakes Even Successful People Made -The Muse

9 First Job Mistakes Even Successful People Made -The Muse9 First Job Mistakes Even Successful People MadeOne of the things that distinguishes successful people from everyone else is their ability to rebound from failure. Which means that bouncing back from a mistake is one of the most important skills you can learn in your career- and the earlier the better.But you already know that.When you reflect back on your first job, along with all of those heart-warming firsts (Your first paycheck Your first big save Your first time running point), you also remember all of those things you had to learn by messing them up the first-time around.And thats OK. Looking back now, you know that, everybody makes mistakes isnt just something people say to make you feel better. Its the truth.Bearing that in mind can help you even now, regardless of how far along you are in your career. Remembering how far youve come- and that everyone you work with has made mistakes and felt the very same way- can help you break out of an I suck rut. Want proof were all in this together? We asked our LinkedIn followers to share the mistakes everyone makes on thier first job- and their answers had us all nodding our heads in agreement. Oh, and if theyre still plaguing you, we have fixes too1. You Didnt Ask Questionselend asking questions. Industry jargon can be overwhelming, if not intimidating, but you dont ask because youre afraid to look stupid.ChantalOdds are you didnt speak up, because you were worried people would judge you and didnt want to to look like a rookie. But now, you know even the most experienced people ask questions when theyre confused Its a sign of a confident and curious person.Seriously Studies show asking questions makes you look smarter.(And if acronyms are still tripping you up, heres a cheat sheet to the 123 most common ones)2. When You Did Ask, You ApologizedPeople shouldnt feel guilty about asking questions. A question is often followed with an apology. Questions are ve ry important to gain context, direction, and knowledge...DamianDid you regularly follow up a question with Im sorry for asking? By now you know its nothing to apologize for And if you still struggle with this, try switching it out for, Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. This two-word swap will make you- and your co-workers- view the conversation that much more positively.3. You (Thought You) Asked Too ManyAsking (whats perceived by others as) too many questions. Being curious is a good thing Its a matter of you phrase the question and deliver it. There is a difference between coming across as unsure of yourself vs. eager to learn.HelenYou mightve felt like only a nuisance would ask so many questions. But, if youre noting a theme, its that thats not a bad thing However, if youre at a place where your co-workers seem annoyed or too busy to help, one option is to ask them if they can point you to resources that would hold the answers youre looking for.4. You Emailed E veryoneIncluding too many (or perhaps the wrong) people on emails.ZacMuse writer Kat Boogard has a simple rule of thumb Listing someone in the To field means you expect a response. In contrast, if you CC that person, youre simply keeping him in the loop on your message to others. (And if you want to understand CC vs. BCC vs. Reply All, check this out).5. You Sent Back One-Word RepliesPlease dont reply to every email, from everyone, only saying, ThanksBrianYou used to fire off a quick reply of Thanks thinking the other person would appreciate how fast you got back to them. But now you know that people prefer a useful response, even if it takes a little longer. So, before you hit send, double check youre reflecting on what the other person said (and answering any questions or attaching requested information).6. You Forgot Peoples NamesGetting someones name wrong. It happens.KerryIt does happen- perhaps even to this day. Whether the other person corrects you or you later learn you were calling them the wrong name all meeting, fixing its pretty simple. Apologize (without dwelling on it), and get it right from there on out. It sounds like this Oh, Im sorry. Thanks so much for correcting, me, Janet. As I was saying... 7. You Pretended to Know More Than You DidStating you know something when you really dont, and then youre asked to do it by your supervisor. Its OK to say, I dont know.JoanneBy now you know I dont know can be a powerful phrase. It shows your manager youre courageous enough to be honest and can identify when youre not an expert at something. (If you still dont feel comfortable saying those exact words, sub-in one of these three phrases in its place.)8. You Undervalued Grunt WorkNot fully understanding (or misunderstanding) the purpose behind a task or project. Sometimes seemingly menial work is very important, and its crucial to get it done correctly...CassieToo often, people look at certain tasks as simply paying your dues. And while those projects may not be flashy and exciting, you can now see how they played a role in the scheme of things. Transfer that knowledge to newer people on the team. When you assign a low-level task, take the time to explain how it contributes to the bigger picture. Not just that, but rolling up your sleeves and pitching in matters even today. Show that you are a dependable team player by giving your all, even to projects that arent glamorous.9. You Didnt Speak Up When You Were Overloaded...While its good to be willing to perform a variety of tasks, eventually one needs to recognize when they are either out of their depth, or simply have taken on too much. If youre afraid to say no, be willing to ask your boss which of your tasks should be your priority.KristinEven seasoned professional struggle with their workload, so if you learned this one early on, youre ahead of the game. At any stage, you dont want to stay silent when youre overworked. Take Kristins advice and have a talk with your boss where you discuss your workload and ask them to help your prioritize.Admitting a mistake is something I respect from new hires. Everyone makes mistakes Its how you handle it that shows what kind of employee youll be in the long run...BrittanyAll told, one of the biggest mistakes people make is hiding from them. If you cant admit something went wrong, youll never learn from it. So, be honest about where things got off course (earlier in your career, as well as today), so you can keep moving forward.Did we miss a big one? Let me know on Twitter.