The New College Grad’s Guide to the World of Work
Posted February 11th, 2013
Sure, it’s only February, but if you’re a college senior, graduation will be here before you know it.
Chances are you’re already starting to interview with potential employers and we hope you’ll have a position in your field within weeks or no more than months after you walk in your cap and gown to receive that diploma.
With that in mind, we thought we’d give you a short primer on “How Work Works.” This will, we hope, help you prepare for the world of work, as well as how your boss thinks.
To your post-college success!
- First, the basics: Get to work on time. Do so for the first several weeks or months (you might then be able to cut yourself some slack). Get to meetings on time and, by all means, don’t be late for appointments.
- Prepare for any and all meetings. Sure, you’re the junior member of your boss’ team, but you never know when he or she may call upon you for input (a good thing). Be prepared for it.
- Don’t miss deadlines. If you do turn a project in late you’d better have an excellent reason why, one that is totally out of your control. And the sooner you tell your boss that the project is running late or that you may not make the deadline, the better. When it comes to surprises, this one is one you do not want to throw at your boss.
- Dress for work. That is, dress appropriately for your profession and your office. This isn’t play time. This is work. You need to dress like a grown up.
Now for learning how to read your boss:
- You’re going to have to observe your boss to see what kind of communication style he or she prefers. Does your boss like to give instructions and parameters and then walk away and let you do the project as you see fit, or is your supervisor more of a micromanager, always asking for updates?
- You can also learn a lot about your boss by listening to the words he or she uses when describing things. Does your boss say things such as “I hear you”? That means your supervisor is more aural than someone who says “I see what you’re saying.” That type of boss is more visual. So it’s now up to you to communicate with your boss in the way he or she prefers. You, too, can say “I heard you say you want this done by Friday.” Or, for the visual boss, “I see that you want this Friday.” Or, for the feelings boss, “You’re very excited about this project and feel it should be done by Friday. I’ll make sure it’s done!”
- Your boss isn’t your friend. You may find that you don’t even like him or her. Even so, always show respect. If you disagree about how something is done, or when something is due, it’s perfectly fine to state this. But do so objectively, respectively – and have an alternative plan in mind to suggest. (In other words, never complain about something, or never bring up a problem, without having a possible solution to it.)
- That said, if you believe you have a better way of doing things, go slowly. Offer the suggestion respectively. Ask if you can try your way, to see how things pan out.
- Be willing to do whatever is asked of you. Be positive. Go the extra mile. Your boss will notice (or will definitely notice if you’re a slacker).
If you’re a resident of the San Francisco Bay Area and are looking for work in the IT sector, send your resume to Bayside Solutions. We look forward to hearing from you.
