Maintaining Your Career
How do I prepare for the first day on the job?
Preparing for the first day on the job requires you to do a little bit of homework, and that is getting to know a little bit about the department where you're going to be working, doing as much research as you can on the company so that you know what to expect. So a little bit of research ahead of time, in terms of what the company's culture is all about...what the people are like, what the environment is like, whether it's a task or people oreinted company etc. That's going to take away a lot of stress that first day. Certainly make sure that you have your wardrobe prepared, your shoes are polished, everything is ready to go so that first thing in the morning you're ready to jump into a great looking outfit. Show up on your new job with a smile, bright eyes, well rested, and ready to jump in and get to work.
How should I dress on the job?
Wardrobe questions are something that I'm frequently asked about, and wardrobe really depends on the nature of the industry you're working in. For example, if you happen to be working in a very conservative field, such as banking, health care, or law, you're not going to want to look like you just stepped out of "Vogue" magazine; you're going to want to wear more conservative types of clothing. If, on the other hand, you're working in a highly creative field, like the entertainment industry, public relations, advertising, or fashion, you're going to be expected to know what the trends are, and you're going to be expected to show up at work dressing a little bit more trendily. That doesn't mean that you get to show a lot of skin or look unprofessional. Professionalism is always the key, so you want to be sure that people are going to take you seriously and that your wardrobe says "credibility," no matter what it is you're wearing.
What should I expect the first week on the job?
Your first week on the job is your best opportunity to make a great first impression. Your first week on the job is pretty much going to be getting to know your coworkers. Don't be shy. Don't wait for your coworkers to come up to you and introduce themselves. Be proactive. Go around, meet people, shake hands, let them know that you're eager to get to work, and "Hey, what can I do to assist or support you in what you're trying to do here?" That's the most important thing that you can do, because people will immediately then get a perception of you that "This is a real team player, eager to get to work, and somebody that we can count on."
How can I make a good impression but not alienate my co-workers?
The best way to make a great first impression at work and not alienate your co-workers is to really show that you're a team player. Where you get into trouble is when you start immediately competing with your new co-workers, trying to show one-upmanship. Not a good idea. So be supportive. Be friendly. Make sure you smile and reach out to people. Engage in conversation. Those types of things really help people like you, sending out a good first impression and that's what you want to do when you're starting a new job.
How can I resolve a conflict with a co-worker?
The most important thing to remember about conflicts with co-workers is that they're inevitable, they're going to happen to all of us sooner or later and the best thing to do is to be prepared for them. If you engage in some kind of conflict or something arises with a co-worker and you're not able to let it just blow over, the best thing to do is to confront the co-worker face-to-face in a calm and friendly manner, address the issue and see if the two of you can work it out. If you can't work it out, then you have several opportunities available to you. You can speak to your supervisor or the other person's supervisor, you can also take your issue to human resources and you can even take it to the employee assistance people if you have that kind of department within your company. There are certainly a number of different types of mediation and arbitration types of scenarios available to you.
How do I help a co-worker who feels threatened?
Sometimes employees who have been on the job can feel a little bit threatened by new employees who are hired, and that's nothing more than human fear coming into the equation. So, realizing that our presence might make a long standing employee feel a little bit uncomfortable, we can reach out to that employee and create more of a cameraderie or team type of relationship with them. Certainly if the other employee has serious issues, those are things that he or she is going to have to deal with. You can certainly speak to your supervisor if you feel that your presence is making another employee feel particularly uncomfortable.
How can I get noticed as a good employee?
You get noticed as a good employee by doing a great job, with a great attitude. That's what employers are really looking for in a good employee. Pitch in. Be friendly. Get along with your co-workers. Demonstrate loyalty and a team spirit and you are going to be recognised as a good employee no matter what field you are in.
What are the warning signs that I might be fired?
The warning signs that you might be fired are: number one, your duties wind up being minimized, responsibilities are taken away from you. You become excluded from key meetings, key communication. Relationships start to change. Those can be very subtle changes in communication and e-mail. Communication can wind up becoming more curt or less frequent.If you sense that there are issues, if you sense that people are not happy with you, for goodness' sakes, be proactive and go and talk to the powers that be and ask them, "Is there a problem? Is there an issue? What do we need to do to change this situation? I love my job, I want to stay here. What do we need to do to work together and work this out?"
