Getting your player ready...
You’ve graduated from
college and landed a
job in a tough economy.
Congratulations! But now the
real work begins.
stepping stone and not a dead
end, try to avoid these eight
pitfalls: Being impatient. You want
to start making a meaningful
contribution on your very first
day – but there’s a fine line
between taking the initiative
and appearing presumptuous.
“The first thing I would
suggest is not to go in guns
a-blazing and insist on making
your mark right away,” says
Alexandra Levit, the author of
“They Don’t Teach Corporate
in College.” “Pay attention to
how things are done, how others
bring up ideas.” Once you have a feel for how
the business works, give your
boss some ideas for improvement
and ask for feedback. Being too patient. Just as
you shouldn’t arrive at your
first department meeting with
a list of suggested changes,
neither should you spend your
first month sitting in your
cubicle and waiting for your
new coworkers to introduce
themselves. Instead, get to know your
coworkers and their jobs.
“Don’t get a bad attitude
because people aren’t paying
attention to you,” Levit says. Using technology inappropriately.
Whether it’s OK to
text during a business meeting
or post to Facebook from your
desk will depend on the company
culture. Levit advises paying attention
to what everyone else is
doing. Do colleagues use email
or instant messages? Is it OK
to use your laptop during a
meeting? Or listen to your iPod
while you work? “Every workplace
is different,” she says.
From your workplace
attire to your handshake, people
will form opinions of you
early on. “Be mindful of how
you act when you meet people
for the first time,” Levit says. Make a special effort to
remember people’s names
and something about them. Don’t take two-hour lunch
breaks, even if you don’t have
much work to do yet. And
watch your colleagues for signs
that it’s quitting time. “You
shouldn’t be the first one out
the door or the last,” Levit says.
Not discussing your goals
with your boss. You should
find out what your boss’s
expectations are for you in
your first 90 days. “Touch base
with your manager on a regular
basis,” says Peter Jacobs, a
career consultant and coach.
“Make sure everybody is still
on the same page.” Not understanding your
boss. Your boss may not like
to communicate the same way
you do — and it’s important for
you to match your boss’s preferences.
Jacobs says you should
ask yourself, “How does the
person like to receive information?
How often?”
a great resource, but to build
a strong career you’ll need
advice from more than one
source. “Look for people who
might be good mentors and
sounding boards as you progress
and develop,” Jacobs says. Not appreciating it. Your
job may not be “the be-all and
end-all of career stardom,”
Levit says, but you can view it
as an opportunity to gain new
skills, learn about the business
world and make valuable professional
networking contacts.
“You might as well enjoy the
time to take care of yourself
and learn as much as possible,
because you won’t have that
time forever,” she adds.
