Do you crawl into your shell when at the office? Are you constantly irked by your co-workers? If your answer is yes, then you might have a problem on your hands. Let’s talk about what not to do to avoid damaging your on-the-job reputation or worse, sending your career down the pipe.
1) Don’t Fail to Get Cultured: Do not get your nose out of joint and refuse to plug yourself into the company’s culture, daily routines and operations. Failing to familiarize yourself with what makes your co-workers tick, will put you at a disadvantage when it comes to understanding the on-the-job costumers and values. Your overall workplace attitude can render you unable to communicate effectively or make meaningful connections.
2) Don’t Ignore Your Own Mistakes: If you don’t make it a priority to own up to mistakes you’ve made while at work as quickly as possible, you might find yourself perceived as irresponsible and incapable of getting things done on time.
3) Don’t Assume Less Is More: Squeezing by doing only what’s asked of you is not the best strategy for success. It will make you come across as unambitious. By not taking the initiative to look for opportunities you will be seen as uninspired and irrelevant to the company’s bigger picture.
4) Don’t Accept Comfortable Inaction: Always do what you say you will. Every little thing counts. Right down to getting those photocopies and making that important phone call. Not delivering on promises will drastically diminish the company;s trust in your ability to follow through. This could lower your chances of being promoted in the future.
5) Don’t Dress For A Hoedown: The way you dress can make all the difference in the way you’re perceived on the job, Dressing like you’re going to a dance party or wearing slacks to the office can seriously undermine your authority. Let your style be a reflection of the position you hold and the professional status you want to achieve in the future.
6) Don’t Arrive Late: It’s always better to be early than late to the office. Take initiative and demonstrate that you are ready and eager to work. There is nothing worse you can do for your professional career than showing up at the office late.
7) Don’t Bring Up Needing A Raise: Quite frankly, your boss does not care about your financial struggles and voes. Instead approach the manager when the time is right and be ready to substantiate your arguments with real evidence about your performance and accomplishments.
8) Be Courteous & Supportive Of Your Co-Workers: Hold elevator doors and do coffee runs every now and then. You might even want to say a good word or two about the people you work with. This will generate good will and cultivate a positive karmic environment.
There you have it. Don’t hide behind your desk all day. If you follow these simple office tips everything should go swimmingly.
See you at the office,
The EntreBahn team.
