September 6, 2011

Tips for corporate newbies

• Post a comment |
• E-mail |
• Print
• • Share:
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

Last week, a reader who spent his entire career working in public service wrote me in a panic. After spending a year at home with his young son, this reader (let's call him "Julius") had returned to work, this time in the corporate sector.

"I'm terrified," Julius wrote. "I've never worked for a large corporation and have no idea how to play the game, or for that matter, what the game even is. Any advice for a corporate newbie?"

[Flickr photo by kainr]

If, like Julius, you're new to the wonderful world of corporate America, allow me to make a few recommendations:

Ask your boss what she hopes you'll accomplish in your first 90 days. Not every boss will spell this out for you, so you'd be wise to ask. Doing so is the quickest way to learn what projects and deadlines are most important to your manager, how you can best assist her, and how she'll be measuring your on-the-job progress.

Have lunch with everyone you'll be working with. If you can, dine with each of your teammates individually. People are more likely to give you the inside dirt in an intimate setting. This is where you'll learn the most about your department's politics, strengths, shortcomings, quirks, and backstory.

Prepare to speak at your first team meeting. In all likelihood, your boss will ask you to tell your colleagues about yourself -- without warning. You may even be asked to share your thoughts on the company, or on the products and services it sells. Think about how you'd respond to such questions ahead of time and you won't have to fumble your way through an answer while praying that you sound coherent.

Set firm boundaries. Now that you're the new kid on the team, you're going to get pulled into umpteen meetings, training sessions, and projects. Knowing when to say no is key to preserving your personal life. Being the team rookie doesn't mean you have to be the last one to leave each night. Just be sure you're not the first out the door day after day and that you're as accessible as your average teammate.

Remember, everyone else is faking it, too. Your first few weeks on the job, you may feel like an outsider. You may even feel like an imposter. This is normal, especially if you're new to corporate America and its many meetings, whiteboards, and acronyms. Try to not let the culture shock rattle your confidence. It may seem like all your coworkers are toeing the party line, but in all likelihood, they're far more passionate about their friends, families, hobbies, and pets than the widgets your organization sells. In other words, you're in good company.

Michelle Goodman is the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life" and "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide." E-mail Michelle at mgoodman@nwjobs.com

• Post a comment |
• E-mail |
• Print
• • Share:
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

Read more
entry level, managing up, networking, politics, training

0 Comments

Leave a comment

* required field

Your name: *

E-mail address: (Will not be displayed)

Your comment: *

Captcha:

Type the characters you see in the picture above.