5. Passage 14 Shortly after graduation， it is time for you to start the next phase of your life. You will begin your first “real job.” Generally speaking， most of what you have learned in school will not prepare you for this. There is a big difference between being a student and being an employee. Certainly， more will be expected of you. The best career-related advice I ever received came from my former boss on my first day of work. She told me to listen and observe before suggesting any changes. I took that advice and have used it in other situations， both in and out of the workplace. While innovation is a good thing， it is important to be mindful of dynamics of the workplace. If you are entering an environment where routines are already in place， a newcomer walking in and talking about “better ways” to do things， will often be met with negative reactions. Why? First， you know nothing about why they do things the way they do. Second， you haven＇t gained the trust of your co-workers. Finally， people， by nature， are threatened by changes. By listening and observing， you will gain a lot. You will learn about the environment of which you are now a part. You will find out more about the people you are working with. You may save yourself from making a major， public mistake—you are the new kid on the block while your co-workers have been around longer. You can learn from their collective experience. This passage is useful in helping you.