Navigating Your First Job: A How-To Guide on Adulting in the Workplace at Eden Green
Congratulations on completing school! You've officially landed your first job at Eden Green and are stepping into the "grown-up" working world. It's an exciting time, but it can also feel a bit overwhelming—especially when you're new to entry-level roles like Greenhouse Team Lead, Production Trainer, or Manager. Whether you're in these positions or just starting your career at Eden Green, this guide will help you navigate the ins and outs of workplace culture and expectations.
At Eden Green, we're passionate about cultivating growth—not just in our greenhouses but also in our people. This article is designed to give you the tools and insights you'll need to thrive in your new role. While school gave you the academic and technical foundation, it may not have fully prepared you for the practicalities of day-to-day work life. That's where we come in. Here, you'll learn not just how to apply your knowledge, but also how to interact professionally, collaborate effectively, and succeed as part of our Eden Green team.
Transitioning from school to the workplace
While you were in school, you probably learned the basics in theory and some practical applications, depending on your degree plan, to give you the knowledge and, if you're lucky, some technical skills in the field of your choice. However, I'm guessing there weren't many, if any, conversations to help you know how to do the job once you’ve landed it. I’m guessing there were even less, if any, conversations to help you understand how to act at work or how to interact with others—am I right?
Of course there are many online resources to help you learn skills like Excel, PowerPoint, business writing, project management. There are less resources out there to help you learn things like, while it’s not a terminable offense to heat up fish in the breakroom microwave, it’s definitely frowned upon and won’t make you any friends. As a “formerly-known-as” young worker, I’m here for you to share some of the things I’ve learned along the way.
Professionalism 101
Your new professional persona should differ from your regular self at home or your student self.
This doesn't mean you should be inauthentic, but you should use different language at work than you would in casual conversations with friends. For example, a casual greeting with friends might be, “Hey! How’s it going?” whereas a professional introduction with a colleague should be, “Good morning. How have you been since our last meeting?”
Professionalism and appropriate language extend to emails, instant messaging, and texts. While many work cultures embrace the fun of technology (using GIFs or emojis), there is a time and place for everything. Using a thumbs-up emoji might be appropriate with familiar colleagues, but not in serious discussions with executives.
However, if my executive team is discussing strategic partnerships, for example, I wouldn’t come in with a GIF of minion riding roller skates—inappropriate.
While reviewing scholarship applications, not one, not two, but SIX applicants used GIFS, IG-worthy photos of themselves, or memes in the field where they were required to upload their resumes (one actually was a GIF of a minion). I am all for humor in the workplace (ask my colleagues) but knowing when to be funny and when to be professional is key. Inappropriate use of humor can literally lose you money.
Networking like a Pro (Without the Awkwardness)
"It’s Not What You Know, but Who You Know"
Yep, that cliché holds true. As much as we’d love to believe that landing a job is all about merit, networking plays a huge role—and it starts now.
Everyone You Work With is a Connection
That colleague next to you? A connection. Your manager? Also a connection. The IT person who helped you recover that lost file? Definitely a connection. Even the casual chit-chat in the breakroom isn't just small talk—it's an opportunity to build your network. And trust me, one day you’ll need to ask someone in that network for a favor, like a reference, a good word, or a heads-up on an opportunity. The relationships you start building now could be the ones that help you move forward later.
Got the Job Based on Your Skills? Great! But...
Maybe you crushed the interview and got hired purely on merit. If so, congrats! But here’s the thing— that won’t always be the case. The job market is jam-packed with highly qualified candidates, and at the end of the day, hiring managers (like me) often make decisions based on connections and cultural fit. When everyone has the skills and experience required, it’s your network that can give you the edge. So, having a crew of people ready to hype you up can make all the difference. You never know when someone might need to sing your praises, and it never hurts to have a team in your corner.
Take Advantage of Conferences and Networking Events
At Eden Green, we send employees to conferences and industry events all the time, and these are prime opportunities to expand your network. Not only are you representing Eden Green, but you’re also making connections with industry leaders, potential partners, and peers from other companies. It’s a chance to get your name out there, exchange ideas, and maybe even make connections that could lead to future opportunities. So when you get the chance to attend one, take full advantage—it’s not just a free trip; it’s a networking goldmine.
Bottom line: Networking isn’t just for the extroverts or the pros. It’s for everyone, and it starts right where you are. The relationships are the things you take with you as you move forward in your career.
Soft Skills: The Secret to Success
If building your network sounds like a nightmare to you then you’re really going to hate this one…it’s time to beef up on your soft skills.
Soft skills are non-technical abilities that relate to how you work and interact with others. They include interpersonal skills, communication abilities, time management, adaptability, teamwork, and problem-solving. These skills are essential for effectively navigating the workplace, building relationships, and contributing to a positive work environment. Unlike hard skills, which are specific and technical, soft skills are more about how you interact and manage your work and relationships. Soft skills are the techniques required to make your working environment more tolerable (for you and others).
They are also the skills that will get you considered for promotion or leadership positions.
I have to admit, I hate the term soft skills. The term “soft skills” implies these skills are easy or not as important somehow. Like a person with soft skills is all about feelings. As a Chief of Staff and head of an HR department, I say all the time, “I am not the feelings police.” I do however have high emotional intelligence allowing me to lead the team through the dynamics at play in an interaction to optimize progress and drive key initiatives. Let’s rephrase the term “soft skills” to something more powerful.
My suggestion? Let’s permanently rename “soft skills” to “Critical Aptitude.”
Why?
Because not everyone has the ability to read the room or understand how team dynamics are affecting productivity. Those with strong interpersonal skills—or "Critical Aptitude"—can not only recognize these issues but also help the team work together more effectively. They drive performance and success by maximizing both input and output. If I’m a leader in a company (and I am), having the aptitude to lead optimization sounds pretty critical to me! [insert wink here]
At Eden Green, we see this in action every day. Whether it’s a team lead helping a group of new hires gel quickly, or a manager stepping in to smooth over communication hiccups, that ability to navigate interpersonal dynamics and keep the team moving in the right direction is key to our success. It’s more than just a "nice-to-have"—it’s essential to how we thrive, ie: Critical.
Embracing Feedback (Yes, Even the Tough Stuff)
As you step into your new professional role, you’ll come across a word that might make you cringe at first—feedback. I get it because I used to physically recoil every time I heard it. To me, feedback felt like, "You’re wrong," or worse, "You suck." It seemed like a personal attack. That feeling was especially strong when I had a bad boss (not at Eden Green, thankfully) who actually was targeting me personally. But after that experience—and after that boss was replaced by someone who became a mentor—I learned to reframe feedback. My new boss wasn’t there to tear me down; she was genuinely invested in my growth. She gave me the tough, honest feedback that helped me understand how others were perceiving my actions—whether intentional or not.
Was it always easy to hear? No. But those hard conversations helped me grow and develop in my career. I learned to see feedback as a tool, not an attack. At Eden Green, we emphasize this same value. For example, when mentoring new team leads, we encourage open, honest conversations about performance and areas for improvement. It’s not about being critical—it’s about helping each other succeed. Feedback is a gift—one that, when embraced, can elevate your career to new heights.
Dealing with Failure and Burnout
Hard conversations are a natural part of working relationships (and, honestly, any relationships). Think of your new career like a roller coaster. There are going to be moments when you’re at the top of the hill and everything is super exciting, and then there will be times when it feels like you’re plummeting to the ground.
Hear me when I say this: YOU ARE GOING TO FAIL.
And guess what? That’s okay. Failure is not just expected, it’s actually good. Failing with grace is a beautiful thing—it means you can compose yourself, keep your dignity, and get back up to try again. We learn the most from our failures, and as long as you don’t get stuck in pity or self-doubt, you’ll be stronger and wiser the next time. In fact, if you reflect on the experience and come away with lessons, is it really even a failure?
Burnout in the workplace is real, but it can be avoided. The real failure is not seeking support when you start feeling overwhelmed, overworked, or underappreciated. At Eden Green, we’re serious about helping our teams avoid burnout. For example, our managers make it a priority to check in regularly with their teams—not just to track projects, but to ask if anyone feels overwhelmed, if there are obstacles they can help remove, or just to see how everyone is doing personally. A great example of this is when we implemented regular check-ins at the height of a particularly busy harvest season. We knew the workload was intense, so we encouraged team leads to focus on mental and emotional support as much as they did on daily output. That made all the difference in maintaining morale and preventing burnout.
Check In With Yourself, Too
You should also be doing regular check-ins with yourself—weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly. Ask yourself:
What are my career goals?
Have they changed since my last check-in?
Is my current role fulfilling?
What are my values, and is my current company aligned with them?
If you’re struggling with these questions, it might be time to admit that burnout is creeping in. This is when you seek out your boss, mentor, or even a therapist to reflect and get feedback. Sometimes a refocus or realignment is all it takes to get back on track.
Building Grit: Because Adulting is Hard
Your career path is up to you.
You are the ultimate shot-caller in where that path takes you. And wherever it takes you, I know one thing for sure—you’re going to need grit. Grit is what keeps you going when things get tough. It’s what holds you accountable to yourself, and it’s the key to achieving your goals. Grit is all about passion and perseverance. Talent is great, but to a degree, it’s optional. Maybe talent got you started, but grit is what will keep you moving forward. By developing grit, you can overcome any obstacle, stay committed to your goals, and ultimately realize your full potential.
At Eden Green, we see the power of grit in action every day.
At Eden Green, we’ve seen the importance of grit firsthand. There was a time when our production fell significantly behind due to unforeseen equipment issues and unexpected staff shortages. It could have been easy for the team to get discouraged, but they dug in and showed incredible perseverance. Team leads and production staff worked extra shifts, came together to troubleshoot problems, and never lost focus on getting back on track. That grit paid off, and not only did we meet our production goals, but we also exceeded them by the end of the quarter. It’s a perfect example of how grit, more than talent, can get you through even the toughest situations and help you achieve your goals.
Grit—get you some!
Written By: Shayla Eberst
- Eden Green Chief of Staff -
