From graduation to first job: How your mindset impacts your future success

702’s Ray White (standing in for Bongani Bingwa) speaks to Dr Ivor Blumenthal, Head of Career Services at The Independent Institute of Education's Rosebank College.

Listen below.

The first job is not only your introduction into the working world but also sets a foundation for your career ahead.

The mindset you bring into the workplace can shape your growth, opportunities and long-term success.

This means constantly being open to learning, adapting, and most importantly, starting from the bottom. 

“If they come in with a sense of entitlement so that they are not prepared to start from the bottom, they are basically unemployable…. We know we’ve got 70 million people, but in reality, there are roughly about 20 million people who are not employed but are capable of being employed.”

– Dr Ivor Blumenthal, Head of Career Service – IIE

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To ensure that you are work-ready, Blumenthal recommends putting together a portfolio of evidence of your skills and experiences  

This goes beyond your formal job experience and includes skills that you have learned through your life.

“It can be from school, playing in a sports team or even from their church groups because anytime they walk into those environments and they show up, they gather elements of their portfolio.”

– Dr Ivor Blumenthal, Head of Career Service – IIE

“Any employer likes nothing less than someone who pitches for an interview and you ask them about experience, and they say this is their first job, they’ve done nothing in their life… From the moment you learn to breathe, you are doing stuff.”

– Dr Ivor Blumenthal, Head of Career Service – IIE

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the discussion