1. Dress well
Even if the company is “business casual” you can’t be that way. You can’t wear the uniform until you’re part of the team. The best rule of thumb is to dress at least one step above whatever everyone else is wearing, and to wear a suit if anyone at the company wears a suit. Don’t just do in with a shirt and tie. Wear the jacket, too. Look professional.
2. Don’t text
Younger generations love to text. Generally speaking, texting at work should be kept to an absolute minimum. Texting while driving is incredibly stupid, illegal, and can get someone killed. Texting while at meals with another person is incredibly rude. The phone/computer should be turned off during any business meetings, any business lunches, or anytime you are supposed to be interacting with real-world people.
3. Work must be produced
We value you for the work you produce, not just for existing. This means you have to actually do something during the work day to get paid and get ahead. Some of you work very hard, and some of you don’t. This is to the ones who don’t. Unemployment is not fun. Neither is living with your parents until you’re 40.
4. Be respectful
You’re not dealing with someone who is a social equal. When you’re interviewing for a job, or working on a job, you’re dealing with someone who is your boss. Even if you have a friendship with him or her outside of the office, while you’re at the office you need to treat this person with the atmost of respect. If you cannot be respectful to your boss, you probably will eventually be looking for another job.
5. Understand life and work are not fair
You may think it would be fair for you to get highly applauded and given time off because you worked 80 hours this week. Life isn’t fair and neither is work. Learn it. Live it. Know it. If you get a “good job” for a job well done, you’re lucky. If you get a “thank you,” you’re even luckier. If your boss gives you time off to go snow-boarding or jump out of a perfectly good airplane, or whatever, you’re very, very lucky. Probably what will happen is you’ll get a nod, and everyone will get back to work. Your accomplishments won’t be celebrated. You aren’t going to get a parade. Live with it. The rest of us have been living with it all of our lives.
6. Manners, manners, manners
Behave yourself and remember your manners. A belch at dinner is not funny anymore. Shoving your way into an elevator before everyone is out is not acceptable. And so on. If you don’t know manners, buy one of the many great business etiquette books on the market.
Even if the company is “business casual” you can’t be that way. You can’t wear the uniform until you’re part of the team. The best rule of thumb is to dress at least one step above whatever everyone else is wearing, and to wear a suit if anyone at the company wears a suit. Don’t just do in with a shirt and tie. Wear the jacket, too. Look professional.
2. Don’t text
Younger generations love to text. Generally speaking, texting at work should be kept to an absolute minimum. Texting while driving is incredibly stupid, illegal, and can get someone killed. Texting while at meals with another person is incredibly rude. The phone/computer should be turned off during any business meetings, any business lunches, or anytime you are supposed to be interacting with real-world people.
3. Work must be produced
We value you for the work you produce, not just for existing. This means you have to actually do something during the work day to get paid and get ahead. Some of you work very hard, and some of you don’t. This is to the ones who don’t. Unemployment is not fun. Neither is living with your parents until you’re 40.
4. Be respectful
You’re not dealing with someone who is a social equal. When you’re interviewing for a job, or working on a job, you’re dealing with someone who is your boss. Even if you have a friendship with him or her outside of the office, while you’re at the office you need to treat this person with the atmost of respect. If you cannot be respectful to your boss, you probably will eventually be looking for another job.
5. Understand life and work are not fair
You may think it would be fair for you to get highly applauded and given time off because you worked 80 hours this week. Life isn’t fair and neither is work. Learn it. Live it. Know it. If you get a “good job” for a job well done, you’re lucky. If you get a “thank you,” you’re even luckier. If your boss gives you time off to go snow-boarding or jump out of a perfectly good airplane, or whatever, you’re very, very lucky. Probably what will happen is you’ll get a nod, and everyone will get back to work. Your accomplishments won’t be celebrated. You aren’t going to get a parade. Live with it. The rest of us have been living with it all of our lives.
6. Manners, manners, manners
Behave yourself and remember your manners. A belch at dinner is not funny anymore. Shoving your way into an elevator before everyone is out is not acceptable. And so on. If you don’t know manners, buy one of the many great business etiquette books on the market.
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