I remember my first day working in an office setting—it was simultaneously horrifying and full of mystery. This experience is like the first-day-of-school moment. Aside from the mysterious new sights however, the workplace can be a minefield for new professionals. In this new environment, workers must carefully navigate well-established customs and etiquette, and effectively integrate into a unique corporate culture. While it’s not quite sink or swim, it’s important that new professionals find the current and move with, and not against it. And while navigating this current can be difficult, one’s ability to do so without much disruption is the key. Understanding this, Andrew Rosen, writing for U.S. News & World Report has the following tips for new professionals.
- “Take it slow.” Rosen observes new professionals should refrain from entering a workspace “guns blazing.” Rather, he suggests that new professionals take a more calculated approach. “Take several weeks to learn who the influences are and how the place works before asserting yourself.”
- “Avoid self-talk.” Keep from over-hyping yourself to the extent that coworkers feel either disrespected or steamrolled by your need to incessantly self-promote. “One common complaint I hear about new graduates,” says Rosen, “is that they believe they have seen and done it all, in part since they don’t know a world without rapid communication.”
- “Don’t make people feel old.” In an age of rapid innovation and change it is easy to feel old. In light of this, Rosin recommends that new professionals be sensitive of the ages of those around them, especially when using, teaching, or training on new technology.
- “Don’t join a work clique.” All throughout college and into my work life, I have been careful not be limited to the relational confines of a clique. On this note, Rosen astutely observes that new professionals, in seeking out and befriending their own kind, ought not to “alienate the folks who can play a role in your advancement.”
- “Temper your expectations.” While it is important to have realistic expectations, it is also important to remain hopeful and to cling to your professional aspirations. Rosen advises new professionals that, “building a career is a journey and not a sprint.” In this vein, even if things may not go your way at first, try, try again.
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