Anna Walton http://www.longleat.co.uk 3m 670 #corporateworld
The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
Congratulations! You’ve graduated, survived the three or four hardest years of your life, and now you’ve landed your first “real” job. You’re excited but probably a little apprehensive about starting work in a new office, meeting new colleagues, team building days and learning all about office politics.
Here are your top tips for rocking the corporate world and taking the concrete jungle by storm from Longleat Corporate:
- Dress for Success – Gone are the days of rolling out of bed and grabbing your nearest sweatpants. Now is all about dressing to impress! Find out what the dress code is for your place of work before your first day and then create a classic work wardrobe which will last.
- Be Confident – Confidence is something which speaks for itself. Remember, you deserve to be in your job, you earned it! So don’t be afraid to share your thoughts and have an input. Believe in your ability to succeed in your new position!
- Communicate – It can be easy to clam up when you first start your job but asking questions is a great way to start a conversation and learn. If you are given a job which you don’t understand, then ask for help. No one will judge you, it is to be expected as the new person. If you are asked to do something and you don’t know how to, then ask! It’s simple, communicate and people will reciprocate.
- Keep it Strictly Professional – Remember, this is your work place. No one wants to know about your 3am escapades or about how you can sink a pint in 2.5 seconds (no matter how impressive). Your place of work should be kept purely professional, so try to keep your personal life separate. As you become friends with your colleagues, anecdotes may be shared, but try and keep it to a minimum for fear of letting out too much.
- Boring Jobs – You will probably be handed some mundane (and, to be honest, mind-numbingly dull) jobs within your first few weeks. You’re probably beginning to wonder why you spent all that time on your dissertation! But these jobs are a perfect chance for you to prove yourself and your skills. If you can perform these tasks efficiently and effectively and even go above and beyond what is expected of you then you will impress your boss and colleagues. You will soon earn yourself a reputation as a hard worker and will be rewarded with interesting projects and more responsibility. Just hold on in there!
- Time for Tea – It’s the old joke that, as the new young one, you spend all your time making the teas and coffees. While a lot of people look down on the task, as the new kid on the block, you should relish it! This is the perfect chance to meet new people and get chatting to people you wouldn’t normally talk to. The kitchen in any office is always a hive of activity with different people from all areas of the company coming and going. This is your perfect chance to chat to people, simply ask them how their day is going and introduce yourself. Before you know it, you could be chatting to the CEO over the cafetiere!
- Get Motivated – There will probably be times when you are left to your own devices, either with a mundane job or with time to spare in between jobs. Don’t just sit their twiddling your thumbs! Now is the time to learn. Observe what your other colleagues are doing, ask to shadow them if possible, ask questions. If this isn’t possible, then further your own knowledge; read industry blogs or articles on your chosen line of work. Not only will it benefit your own knowledge of your industry, but it will also impress your co-workers should they see you reading them.
About the Author
Anna Walton is the sales manager for Longleat House, Safari and Adventure Park, a stately home for corporate events in Wiltshire, U.K.
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