You’ve graduated and landed the job of your dreams! Your first job after college is an important one: it starts building your career credibility, network, base salary, and experience. But with so many experienced colleagues, how can a fresh graduate show their authority and make sure that they are taken seriously? Digital habits matter – what made sense in college may no longer be the best way to operate at work. Here are a few habits to ditch (quickly) when you enter the workplace:
1. Pinging your co-workers after working hours or when their status is set to “do not disturb” or “unavailable”.
Intra-office chat programs are all the rage at work these days – they’re a great way to reach out to your colleagues who are online but in another geographical area or office location in real-time. But initiating a chat session with your boss or teammates after hours for anything that is not urgent is a no-no. If people in your time zone are online before or after work it’s probably because they have work they need to get done, and if their status is set to “do not disturb” they may be presenting at a meeting or trying to finish up something that takes concentration. They’re not looking to chat or engage with you, and instant messaging them during these times when there isn’t an emergency can make you look juvenile and inexperienced. Just don’t do it – try another less intrusive mode of communication like email if you need to reach out right then.
2. Sending long and / or emotional emails.
One way to increase your authority immediately? Write short emails. In fact, if you can’t make your point in fewer than three to four sentences, consider replying with: “Let’s discuss.” Study the way your boss responds to email and copy it. Don’t feel you need to over explain your decision-making processes. In fact, a concrete “No”, or “I’ll pass”, or a simple “I agree” is enough to show you’re engaged and sure of your decisions. If someone wants to know why, they’ll ask you. Worried or concerned about something that happened in the office? Don’t send an emotional email to your manager. It’s hard to control tone and perception in email, and the last thing you want is for your boss to read an email and think that you are a stress case (or worse, a nut case). In those situations, wait for your next one-on-one meeting and have a discussion with your manager where you can provide context and reflection when you bring up your concerns.
3. Sharing everything on social media.
Had the best date of your life? Called in sick last Friday to start the weekend early? Drank a little too much at the bar with your girlfriends last night? These sorts of things may have been fun to share on Facebook and Twitter when you were in college, but now that you are employed you may want to think twice. Do you really want your boss to know every last detail of your life outside of work? While we’d all like to think that the assessment of our professional performance and worthiness for advancement is completely based on merit the truth is perception is reality, and what happens on the weekends may end up influencing your image at work if you share every last detail on social media.
4.Text Speak, Stickers and Emoticons in office communications.
You may be able to get away with the occasional smiley face or “HEHE” but if your presentations and emails are filled with text speak terms like “coz”, “l8r” or “dat”, the ‘higher ups’ are going to question your maturity level. The same goes for stickers or emoticons. A thumbs up or smiley face may make sense as an affirmation after a quick instant message exchange, but stickers littered throughout all your communication can be a huge red flag and mark you as a workplace newbie. Communicating succinctly, eloquently and professionally with words is one way to showcase your potential without highlighting your lack of experience.
Work is different than college; don’t expect the digital communication norms to be the same. Even if you lack experience, you can still build an image of yourself as a competent and confident employee worthy of recognition. Drop these four habits quickly and you’ll be well on your way!
Featured photo credit: Office Hours / Tanel Teemusk via flickr.com
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