A clean slate: the workplace and first impressions

Do you ever wish you could go back in time and rectify the many mistakes you’ve made over the years? I never would have gotten that perm, dated Stewart from home room, or painted my first house various shades of red. And then there are the bigger things that would be nice to change--start saving money for retirement at 18, get a fixed-rate loan instead of an ARM, spend more time with family, etc.

Of course we can’t go back in time and start over, but we are given the chance to start fresh every time we meet someone new. Such opportunities are called first impressions and they are valuable indeed--particularly in the workplace. Starting a new job has its own set of challenges, but it also has a unique benefit of allowing you a clean slate. Your new boss and coworkers are eager to get to know you, so here are a few ways you can help shape the experience into something positive and helpful for your career.

You’ve heard it before, but it’s important enough to be said again: dressing professionally is crucial. By doing so, you are inadvertently telling your boss and coworkers that you respect them, your job, and the company. Before you even say hello, people are already beginning to form their first impression of you, they can’t help it. Knowing this to be true, it’s a good idea to dress accordingly.

It’s also important to stay off your cell phone, which means no calling or texting. If you’re on break or lunch, then that’s a different story. This is especially important when first starting a job, because you haven’t been around long enough to learn company policy.

Avoiding self-absorbed communication is also a good idea. We’ve all met that person, the one who constantly talks about their kids, their spouse, their job, their busy life—pretty much anything and everything relating to, well, them. Now, it’s not bad to talk a about yourself--after all, you’re new and your coworkers are going to be curious about you--but make sure you are just as interested in learning about them. Balance is the key.

Hopefully these tips will help you make the most of your opportunity. Enjoy the clean slate and be intentional about setting yourself up for success.

The Catch-22

All recent college graduates know what I’m talking about when I say that job hunting is a catch-22. You can’t get a job because you don’t have enough experience, but how are you supposed to acquire experience if you can’t learn through a job? Because no one is willing to hire recent graduates you get stuck doing jobs that don’t relate to your major but they pay the bills, or you keep doing internships to gain the experience. How do you win at this vicious cycle? Here are some things to consider:

Understand that transferable skills are your secret weapon. Skills that you have acquired in your life are more important then you think. Just from your hours spent chatting online or playing basketball in high school you have technological and teamwork abilities. You need to think outside the job. When I was applying to jobs I had listed all my work experience which was mainly made up of mall jobs. After not hearing back from any employers I decided it was time to focus on my other accomplishments. I focused on the clubs I was a part of and the volunteer work I did. I had worked for my college TV, radio and newspaper clubs and had top status in all three. Rearrange your resume and highlight any type of experience you had in college that enhanced your skills within your major. Paid jobs aren’t the only experience you have ever had so don’t focus just on them.

Overall you need to have logical expectations. Fresh out of college the “entry-level” label is not a bad thing to have. Thinking that you are going to become a director or manager within your first year after graduating is unreasonable. You might not receive the highest pay or have the title you want, but if you can find something within your field then stick it out because you will have the opportunity for a promotion and greater responsible with the months to come.

The Male Recession

It seems to be a guy thing. Men are losing jobs daily while women seem to be gaining them. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, men have lost over 700,000 jobs in the last eight months while woman have gained nearly 300,000. What seems to be the problem in this employment slump for men? Unfortunately it has to do with the industries that men are concentrated in.

Men currently have the misfortune of being concentrated in the two industries that are doing the worst right now: construction and manufacturing. On the flip side, women are currently needed in some of the most demanded industries which include health care and education. Women are graduating from college at higher rates than men and possess soft skills such as sensitivity, willingness to learn, and team work which employers look for in potential employees. Furthermore, men are facing the problem of rejoining the workforce after long periods of unemployment. It is much harder for men to be making $25 – $30 per hour and suddenly have to settle for $10 an hour at a lower job. For men this seems like an ongoing downward spiral.

However, not all is great for women in the workforce. While they possess job security they receive a severely lower income then their male counterparts. There is an expansion of jobs for health aides, retail clerks and child-care workers, but usually these jobs are low-wage, dead-end, and have no benefits. The jobs women are landing aren’t necessarily good ones.

While manufacturing is made up of over 70% males and construction is over 80% males, a tremendous number of men have to face unemployment and choose new career paths. Women seem to be snagging the jobs in today’s workforce and even though they might not be the best jobs out there, at least they have jobs.

They’re Just Not That Into You

My best friend recently had a huge interview at an art museum. It was the perfect position for her. After the interview she waited. And waited. And waited some more. After a month of no contact from the museum she assumed that she didn’t get the position. After sending an e-mail to her interviewer and receiving no response she gave up all hope. Its rejection and that arrow straight to the heart can dig deep. How can we forgo being led on by employers and waiting by our telephone when they have no intention of calling? How do you know when they just aren’t that into you?

The first sign is if they are silent after the initial contact. A recruiter might have sent you an e-mail or left you a voice mail expressing their interest and it took a day or two for you to respond. By the time you respond they might have already found someone else. Most likely they sent out a mass e-mail and hundreds of people replied before you. They don’t think you are special and they most likely will never get back to you. If they decide they want you, they have your contact information.

A second sign to watch for is if they have problems scheduling a phone interview. The company probably had recruiters or people from a call center call you and hope to get a hold of you on the first ring. They don’t want to be bothered with a specific time to call you back because they probably have thousands of other candidates they could be calling.

You also want to watch for a delay in post-interview contact. If you stuck out in a hiring manager’s mind then it wouldn’t take him or her weeks to call you back in for a second interview. Most likely the company found someone else, was not wowed enough to remember you, or is so disorganized with getting in touch that you probably don’t want to work there anyway.

Finally be aware of the pace in which they extend an offer. I’m sure you’ve heard a company say that they are excited to have you as a part of their team and “Let’s talk terms!” but does this ever really come true? You shouldn’t have to wait more than three or four days to find out if you are a new member of the company, what day you are starting and when you are going to fill out the paperwork. If you haven’t heard from that company in over a week then you can assume there is no position waiting around with your name on it. If you get this far in the process then look back and see if there were any red flags that you should have noticed sooner.

So you were played. Brush it off and move on. Don’t dwell on it and don’t keep replaying in your head what you did wrong. Spend your time and energy finding the right company and not the ones that obviously could care less about your feelings. Sometimes they are just not that into you.

Don’t Compromise Your Happiness

Is the depression worth your mansion and luxury sports car? I don’t think so. But hey, that’s just my opinion. By today’s standards you can make some big bucks in certain occupations, but if you hate what you are doing then which is more important: salary or happiness?

One of my close friends is a personal assistant to a famous TV personality in Manhattan. She banks, gets luxury vacations, meets famous people, and gets loads of free stuff. She hates her job. The part I didn’t mention is that she is on call, works about twenty hours a day, and bends over backwards to never hear a “thank you” or similar words of gratitude. Her boss makes her feel like dirt. It’s tough when you are making a good salary but you need to learn when to walk away from the depressing situation. Here’s what you need to consider:

Compare your salary to your benefits package. Are you getting all the benefits you need? If you don’t receive any then is a good chunk of your salary being spent on health and dental insurance? Take into account retirement plans and profit sharing as well. Is your compensation as a whole really that great? Next you need to think about your work schedule and the flexibility of your job. My personal assistant friend could work those back breaking hours because she wasn’t married and didn’t have kids to worry about. Consider the hours you work and if they are making you depressed because you don’t have enough time to spend with your family. Are you compromising the happiness you find in a favorite hobby because you have shifted that time over to work? Your job flexibility also goes hand in hand with job location. Do you have to wake up at the crack of dawn in order to drive an hour to work? The location of your workplace could be getting you down in the dumps if you spend all that time, energy and money on driving when you really should be spending your time and energy at work and not in your car.

The ultimate complaint in most cases of workplace depression stems from the hatred harvested towards co-workers and employers. Nothing is worse than spending an eight hour day with people who make your skin crawl. Even an enormous salary can’t bring happiness to a workplace that makes you hate every second you spend there. Take the time to weigh the pros and cons. It’s not worth keeping a horrible job that makes you curse every morning you wake up and have to step foot inside your personal nightmare. Don’t be scared to get out of something you hate. Fill your life with happiness, not just riches.