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...and don't ask me to make your coffee!Mar 17 '01 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line Learn all you can about office culture before you start work. Don't treat admin assistants as inferiors. The one important piece of advice that I can give to college graduates is this: learn about office culture before you start work. You could have the best grades, a fantastic degree, the most wonderful expectations of work, and then when you get in the office, you ruin everything by being a total pain in the aXse. Trust me, I have seen it happen. The arrival of a new college graduate in the office is not usually a happy event, particularly for those who work in administration. As someone who worked as an executive assistant before and after getting a degree, I have had the benefit of both experiences. Some graduates seem to have a certain expectation of how an office works and quickly make themselves enemies through their treatment of certain staff members. If only they took the time to ask questions about what they are about to get into! They would make everyone more happy and their working career wouldn't begin with so much angst. Personal Assistants This person can be your best friend in the office. The Personal Assistant probably helped you to get the position in the first place. As an executive assistant to the general manager of an international trading company, one of my roles was to screen applicants for positions within the company. A friend of mine has described how she was asked to rate job applicants by the first impression that they made on her whilst they were waiting to be interviewed. As a journalist, I know that if I am friendly to the assistant of the person I want to speak to, I will usually get the information I need. The same rule applies in the office. Treat the personal assistant with respect, and you will go far. Treat them as someone who is "obviously" less intelligent - not your equal - and you will pay the price. Don't ask a secretary for a cup of coffee or to do the photocopying for you on your first day. Get it yourself. Watch the film, "Working Girl" if you want further guidance on this issue. Melanie Griffith's character made the right move when she finally made it into the corner office, treating her assistant as a key player in both of their future successes. Office Drinks or Parties Whatever you do, don't get drunk at an office party. You will lose the respect of your colleagues. You already have the disadvantage of youth, so please don't make it worse by demonstrating that you aren't bright enough to know when you can chug-a-lug and when you can't. Ladies, unfortunately some men will use your drunken state as a chance to take advantage of you. I have seen it happen, I have had it happen to me. It doesn't matter what you look like or what you are wearing. (The last time it happened to me, I was clothed from head to ankle. The person who groped me was high up in the company and drunk. I immediately moved, reported the incident to the most senior female at the function, and then left as soon as I could. If you have never had this happen to you, believe me when I say it is very distressing when it happens in your workplace, because you have to go back.) There's another reason to keep your wits about you - office parties are a very good opportunity to make contacts within the company. Usually you will work with a small group of people on a daily basis. Office parties that involve the entire group give you a chance to meet co-workers who may be able to help you in the future. Perhaps they will even have contacts to get you a higher paying position. Don't Gossip This was a lesson that I learnt hard in my first few years of working, some fifteen years ago. Whatever you do, no matter how juicy the gossip is...don't spread it. Being new in the office makes you vulnerable to the suggestions that others will give you. If you spread something that a vindicative person has told you to hurt someone, the blame will fall on YOU not the person who told you. Sit back on the information. Keep your mouth shut, and figure out for yourself whether it is true or not. Young people are almost expected to have no sense in this area, so if you start work by avoiding the Gossiper tag, you will be regarded as having more maturity than your peers. Watch, Listen and Learn In your first three months at your new job, try to observe the office culture around you as much as possible. Its the little things that count. Such as how long you take for office breaks, or whether you can eat your lunch at your desk or in a special staff room. Find out whether you can make personal phone calls during work hours. Ask what the company's policy is on personal email or web access. The more you know about these things, the less likely you will annoy your co-workers. I have seen co-workers try to sabotage others just because they felt that the person was spending too much time on personal emails. So...remember to watch, listen and learn, and you will have a gentle entry into the workforce. Good luck!  |
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