What is your advice for fresh graduates stepping into the working world ?

From my experience, the biggest challenges for fresh graduates when stepping into the working world are:

• Generation gap
• Most of the leaders in companies now are mostly older generations, most of them are still following their ways of managing people, not able to navigate well in the current changes happening in the world.
• Cultural shock
• Fresh graduates nowadays spend their time mostly on the internet, where instant gratification is a habit. You post a video on TikTok, you get instant likes & views. However, in the real working world, you do not get rewarded instantly on what you have done right. Things take time & patience in the working world.  
• Communication breakdown
• Different people have different ways to communicate, especially when fresh graduates transition from tertiary education environment to office/working environment, things change a lot. There are many unwritten rules in the office, it takes some time to figure things out.
  

For most of the new fresh graduates, shifting from universities into the working environment is a huge culture shock and sometimes could be depressing due to generation gaps.

Here are some survival tips in the working place on navigating your new venture in the working world:

• Be Patient
  
• Don't Forget To Thank Those Who Offered You a Helping Hand
  
• Realizing Career is A Series Of Choices, Not "A" Choice
  
• Tread Lightly & Carefully
  
• Learning & Education Don't End With Your Graduation
  
• Network & mingle
  
• Realizing Your Co-Workers Aren't Your Parents

It's not about what you earn, but rather what you learn.

You think you have time, but you don't. Time flies pretty fast, and before you know it, you're married. And before you know it again, you have children and commitments. Learn fast and work smart. 

Find work that aligns with your beliefs, and grants you the capacity to grow as a skilful person.

Focus on making yourself indispensable in your organization by learning and doing things that allow you to take up more responsibilities. Having to be relied upon grants you more opportunities.

Get a mentor. Follow someone you can learn a great deal from.

Dream big, set goals, and work towards them each day. 

Be disciplined with your daily milestones. (Example: if you want to be an 'influencer', publish 1 video on TikTok a day without fail)

Be humble, control your ego. It's not about being right, it's about being favored. It's always better to gain favor than enemies.

Question your principles. Often times what you were brought up to believe doesn't bring you far in the real world.

Ask questions. Learn to ask the right questions. Stay hungry, stay curious.

Your network is your net-worth. Build good relationships.

Have a firm handshake. People don't like wimps.