5 Rules

Out of school for a little over a year, my learning certainly hasn’t stopped. Throughout my daily experiences in an office setting I’ve developed 5 rules that continue to help me stay sane, productive, and professional.

1.     Don’t promote stereotypes.

As a new addition to the work force, it is wise to be aware of the negative stereotypes associated with being a Millennial. However unfair or wrong it may be, it is human nature to compare and judge other people and I can guarantee you that you will also fall victim. Being young is associated with foolishness, mistakes, immaturity, and inattention. But, by knowing these assumptions, it is easier to proactively avoid them. For example, I have heard numerous people older than myself talk about how youth seem to be constantly glued to screens (computers, cell phones, tablets, etc.). One could counter this complaint by explaining how prevalent technology is becoming in our everyday lives and that knowledge spreads like wildfire through these means but most of the time you can’t even tell when someone is thinking that about you. Instead, I try to always shake a person’s hand and look them in the eye. I turn my phone on silent when I know I’m going to be conversing or spending time with someone. While in waiting rooms, I tend to get lost in my thoughts instead of my newsfeed. These are small changes that make big impressions.

2.     Be kind.

Burning bridges early in your career could lead to ripples of bad outcomes later in life. Unless time travel was finally invented by the time you read this, it is impossible to know what action or words may come back to haunt you. More importantly, networking is an essential skill that could lead to previously unheard of opportunities that you may miss out on. In every professional setting, the best idea is to act like you’re meeting your significant other’s parents for the first time. Be polite and on your best behavior. I doubt being kind has ever cost someone his or her job.

3.     Always take the high road.

This goes along very well with the “Be Kind” rule but I thought it was important to separate, mostly because it’s something I’ve run into and I did not come out on the favorable side. People can be very difficult to work with but that never means that doing things such as spreading rumors, talking back, or complaining about coworkers is ever an appropriate response. If a problem does arise, talk to a superior and do not try to handle it yourself.

4.     Remember that they are paying you.

The next time you find yourself with an urge to log on to Facebook at work, instead think about how much company time and money that would be wasting. Even if it’s just five minutes a day, that time adds up! If you spent 5 minutes on Facebook everyday at work, that would average out to about 22 hours a year. Your company thinks that your time is valuable; don’t forget to show them the same respect.

5.     Always ask questions.

No matter how long you’ve been on the job or what you think you’re supposed to know, always ask questions if you have them! When beginning a new position you may find out that tasks are done a very specific way. How are you supposed to know unless you ask? Unless you lied on your resume and aren't trained as you've portrayed, asking too many questions is never a bad thing. In multiple jobs, people have assumed that another coworker had taught me a certain task, or they didn’t know there was a different way to do it, or just forgot to tell me, or sometimes were testing me to see if I would ask for help when I didn’t know how to do something. It’s much better to be a little embarrassed asking for clarification than to do an entire assignment wrong.

Of course there are many more things to know while on the job but these are a great way to make a good impression and kick start your career. Define your professional self in the best possible way to ensure close connections, a great work ethic, and an ever-evolving professional course.

Love and coffee,
Christine