It is coming to the end of the first year and my first placement move is approaching….how scary is that?! I feel like I have achieved a lot over the last year and it has been a really challenging year for me.
It’s OK to make mistakes. We are on a training scheme and not everything we do will be perfect. As long as we can admit and learn from them, these provide as good a learning opportunity as big successes.
It’s really hard work! I maybe hadn’t fully appreciated how much hard work there is throughout the year. It includes a lot of travelling, working in evenings and early starts.
Emails have an off button! I wish I’d been better at turning off my laptop at 5pm instead of working into the evening. Once you start it is a hard thing to break!
Not everyone is lovely – some people won’t like the graduate scheme, some people won’t like the position you are going in to and not everyone is supportive. The vast majority are but don’t get upset by those who aren’t.
It can be a little bit lonely. Dependent on the role it can sometimes be a little bit lonely. Make sure you make time for keeping in touch with people. I really miss my old team I worked in when I was nursing and that’s taken some time to get over!
Take the opportunities but don’t feel the need to take every opportunity. If you feel the need to take on everything, you risk tiring yourself out!
Don’t forget your social life – you need to switch off occasionally even when there are conflicting deadlines. Sports, music, friend – whatever you fancy doing!
Make use of your buddy – they’ve been there and probably understand what you are going through.
You won’t enjoy every second but keep going – it is worth it! They’ll probably be times when you think something easier would have been better!
Make connections and make sure you invest in these! Connections may come in useful when job hunting…!
I’m really looking forward to a change in placement and I am going to a local School where I will be working on a wellbeing strategy! I’ve never had job outside of the NHS so this poses a new challenge for me but I am really looking forward to it.