All that hard work and you’ve finally landed that great co-op job! Now it’s time to focus on making your co-op turn into another success story for you by being aware of proper office etiquette. Follow some of the simple tips below to help you enhance your experience and be a good citizen at your company!
Dress to impress – Most companies will give you some sort of
orientation and talk about the proper dress code, so if they tell you business
or business casual – that’s what you wear. If you’re not sure, just look around
you – does what you have on fit in with the attire of your supervisor or senior
members? Start out on the formal side until you are on the job for a week or
two and can observe what’s accepted. Things to avoid – bare feet, flip flops,
see-through and clothing that’s too revealing, jeans, work-out clothes, shorts
and tank tops. Dress for the job you want, not the one you’ve got!
Punctuality – Find out your assigned work hours and then come in on
time and don’t leave before the agreed upon time. If you are sick or unavoidably late, be sure
to call in to let someone know. Never mind what your boss or “everyone else is
doing” – stick to your hours – it will always come up at review time!
Company culture – Getting the lay of the land is vital. Is the work
environment casual or a little more formal? Do employees address managers by
their first names or Mr. and Ms.? Know the organizational and reporting
structure. What are the rules about taking breaks, using the internet, Facebook
and other social media during work or free time? Is listening to music with
earbuds on allowed while working? Remember, this is a place of business, not
the dorm room, so if you’re not sure what is acceptable, ask your supervisor!
Ditch the dorm life – Falling asleep at the desk is one of the most
common problems reported by employers. Now that you’re in a professional
setting, eating right and getting enough sleep is a must. A healthy lifestyle
will keep you alert and make you more productive on the job. So if you’re used
to socializing or playing video games until 3:00 am, now’s the time to adjust
your schedule to avoid those heavy eyelids during the day.
What else can I do? – If you’re not busy enough or just want to get
more experience, ask what you can do next – time is money so productivity is
important. Show them that you are a hard
worker and take assignments seriously. Ask questions and absorb as much
information and knowledge as you can to get the most out of your co-op. Try to
get yourself included in meetings and projects – show initiative and go beyond
the basic co-op tasks when you can. Enthusiasm goes a long way!
Be respectful – We all have our opinions and in increasingly
diverse workplaces, we don’t always agree. Listen carefully, act maturely and
honor others ideas in a non- judgmental way. It may appear to be a dumb way to
do things to you, but you may not be aware of the big picture and others may
have been there awhile and have a lot more experience. Offering your ideas is
fine, just always be respectful of the fact that many people bring many
different perspectives.
It’s confidential! –Intellectual property, trade secrets, product
designs, formulas and algorithms, ideas for future developments, company
reports, etc. are all proprietary information. The same is true for all
customer/vendor lists, employee directories and email/address lists, work
notebooks. Ask yourself if the information would be valuable to a competitor or
anyone on the outside? Treat everything that you see and hear as though it is
confidential - when in doubt, don’t share!
Check your ego – We all have to do things that sometimes seem below
our skill level. Avoid the “it’s not my job” attitude and accept tasks
willingly. The quicker you get the little stuff over with, the more time you have
to focus on the more meaningful work. Do the best job you can no matter what is
asked!
It’s company property – Everything from scotch tape, the copy
machine to laptops belongs to the company and is not there for your personal
use. Stick to the rules for use of company cars and travel expenses and always
ask permission before using company equipment.
Keep records and get feedback – document your work, keep good
records and track your work and projects. This will come in very handy when it
is time for your review, to prepare your departmental work report and to update
your resume. Time goes by quickly and it is easy to forget details! Consult
your supervisor regularly and get feedback about your work. Are you meeting expectations? Clarify any
questions you have about projects and procedures. Make him/her aware of any
conflicts or problems.
Prepare to stay connected – network with co-workers for future
co-op or full time work. Get to know customers and others in internal
departments. Start building your network now! Line up your references at the
end of your co-op and stay in touch after you leave.
The grandma check – Always conduct yourself in a professional
manner as though someone is watching you in and around the office and also
during “off hours” at informal parties and gatherings where you might feel it
is ok to let your guard down (especially situations when alcohol may be
available). Avoid gossip and involvement
in “office politics”. Make efficient use of your time and personal calls and
emails should not be made on company time. Emails and conversations (even
though in perhaps an informal or social situation) should always contain clean
language and you should never say anything that can’t be shared with everyone.
If you wouldn’t do it or say it around grandma, don’t do it at work either!
No comments:
Post a Comment