Here are a few tips form people who started out in their first jobs with a smile.

PROVE YOURSELF

• Lack of experience and people bound to load you with work , find boring and mechanical. All important, challenging assignments seem to go to others. Wait. Be patient. You'll have to prove yourself in whatever work you get before they trust you with better.

FEEL RESPONSIBILE

• Now you need to take responsibility for what you contribute in an organisation that has its own rules for quality and standards. You need to take responsibilty for everything you do.

BE POSITIVE

• Be assertive when you think you're just being taken for granted. But you can't afford to put on airs because people need to know that you're ready to work hard and learn things that you haven't worked on before. Take new experiences, even if they are unrelated, as opportunities to learn.

GETTING NETWORKED

• opportunity to make contacts with experienced people who can help you out at some point in your career. So network, get to know people. Recognise who is important and be sure to be in their good books.

  GENERATE IDEAS

  • you need to research your company and the work that goes on there. Piping up with an idea even if it gets shot down shows that you're interested and involved.

  BE A TEAM PLAYER

  • Remember, the key to winning is the ability to adjust. Your ability to get along with others will determine the way you fit in. So don't isolate yourself.

  DON'T OVER-PROJECT

  • You obviously have views on many subjects, work-related and otherwise. But wait, do not start imposing them all at once. For instance, if you don't smoke, don’t badger every smoker around with your views. There’ll be time enough for your lecture on smoking and cancer later.

  WORK HARD

  • A 9-to-5 scenario may initially be quite alien to you. Be prepared for hard work, long working hours and, let's be realistic, a bit of injustice as well.