Office Newbie

The thought of actually beginning a new job at a new company in a new city in only a week both excites me and frightens me. Though I have worked several internships none of them I feel like really resemble this permanent job that I have landed. I know they all have been applicable experiences but right now they don’t seem sufficient enough in preparing me for what to expect when I show up on the first day. Thus, I researched and bought a truly fabulous book titled They Don’t Teach Corporate in College written by Alexandra Levit (a female which is a plus). I have slowly been making my way through the book and want to kind of just jot down my notes and takeaways to help remind myself of them in my first few weeks (or years) on the job. So here is my list of takeaways:

Send an email to my supervisor asking if there is anything I can do to prepare before my first day at work. (Already did ;))

Good shoes and jewelry are what people notice from first impressions. (Good thing I have just gotten a lot of new ones especially since my office is casual with the rest of the dress code)

Jot down people’s names and what they do right after meeting them to assist in learning their names and networking

Send an email introducing myself to colleagues if one is not made by the company with a brief summary of my background and how grateful to be there (Will assess this one. The company is small so personal introductions might be more appropriate and I have already met quite a few of the people in the office)

Set up my voicemail.

Organize my desk (A messy desk does not = busy)

Ask how to order or acquire office supplies.

No vacation days the first three months of the job. (I don’t really like this one :()

Happy hour and lunches with the coworkers ASAP (Okay, this is my own but it is hinted at in the book. I really liked the young people in the office and want to get to be on good terms with them because I think they will definitely be able to guide me early on in my career. Plus I enjoyed this last summer and it was a good way to get insight on the senior members in the office)

Don’t say yes to everything. Learn how to turn down assignments without having to actually say “no”.

Don’t stress over non-important but urgent tasks. (I gotta watch out with this with my perfectionist tendencies.)

Frequent contact and meetings with boss is a good thing. Get yourself noticed, ask for things to do, leave with questions answered, outline individual and company-oriented goals.

Ask where to expect my work tasks to come from and when to expect them.

Create individual and company goals at the start. (More on this when I have come up with them.)

When assignment is issued first outline the task and how to complete it and use Microsoft Project to keep track of it.

Don’t just forward emails to people if I don’t know the appropriate response to someone. Find out for myself the answer and respond to that person. It looks like I am more of a go-getter.

That is my list so far. I like it. I definitely feel like I am taking in invaluable knowledge to get me a leg up in the office, it makes me feel more confident and prepared and the book is actually an interesting and enjoyable read. But don’t worry, I’ll be scurred on my first day of work. That’s just how it works…with me at least!

Chelsea