{"id":3733,"date":"2013-02-12T13:29:34","date_gmt":"2013-02-12T17:29:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/?p=3733"},"modified":"2013-02-12T13:29:34","modified_gmt":"2013-02-12T17:29:34","slug":"i-am-still-quite-terrified-i-will-not-fit-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/i-am-still-quite-terrified-i-will-not-fit-in\/","title":{"rendered":"I am still quite terrified I will not fit in"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Licensed<\/a><\/p>\n

Dear Office-Politics,<\/p>\n

I\u2019m a recent college graduate and have never really been very good at playing the office politics game.<\/strong> Sadly, I have already had two positions in the past year and the problems I ran across at both companies were politically-related. I don\u2019t care about being the popular person, the department poster child, or the biggest and brightest (though I\u2019m sure that will come eventually).<\/p>\n

Right now, I\u2019m just trying to learn how to apply my college education, get along with people, and grow into a position<\/strong> where I can become the biggest and brightest. I am very frustrated though as I have been very much underestimated in my past positions in the form of not being given anything to grow with, but when I\u2019m not given those things, coworkers tend to develop the perception that I am not capable of the job because I\u2019m not working on it. Even when I did ask for tasks or projects to be on, I was told there\u2019s nothing for me (though there\u2019s sure a lot for everyone else!). So, I can\u2019t get the knowledge without the work, but can\u2019t get the work without the knowledge. The past companies have dealt with proprietary software, so there were no Internet resources to reach out to and documentation (if there was any) was very outdated. I was let go as my frustration manifested itself in the form of open boredom.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I now have a new position<\/strong> I\u2019m starting in a couple of weeks that I\u2019m actually very excited about. It involves being in the specialty I\u2019d always wanted to be in, being part of a great and profitable company, the perks are not bad at all, and the pay is good. Even though I have resolved to correct the mistakes that I did make in the past positions, I am still quite terrified that this will be another environment I will not fit into.<\/strong> What office politics advice do you have for an entry-level trying to start their career?<\/p>\n

Thanks,<\/p>\n

New Kid on the Block<\/em><\/p>\n

OFFICE-POLITICS REPLY BY ROBERT HALF\u2019S PAUL MCDONALD<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Dear New Kid on the Block,<\/p>\n

Congratulations on landing the job! Now, it\u2019s time to hit the ground running and lay the groundwork for success within the organization.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to make a good impression and an immediate, meaningful impact from day one. In today\u2019s economy, especially, employees have less time to prove themselves and are expected to demonstrate tangible results that increase profitability. Starting off at a new company also involves establishing relationships and respect from the get-go.<\/p>\n

That being said, it will take time to feel like you fit in. It can help to put yourself in the shoes of your coworkers, and modify your behavior as needed.<\/strong> It can also be beneficial to understand what is in the company\u2019s best interests (and how your behavior can help further the company\u2019s goals).<\/p>\n

Here are a few tips to get you started in the right direction:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Watch, listen and learn.<\/strong> Pay close attention to the behavior of your new colleagues \u2014 how they respond to emails, their tone during conference calls and how they dress, for example. Each organization has its own unwritten rules, so base your actions on how others behave.
    \n

    \u2022\u00a0Are jeans acceptable on Fridays?
    \n\u2022 Does everyone start at 8 a.m.?
    \n\u2022 Is it alright to eat at your desk?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n

  2. It\u2019s OK to play the office rookie card<\/strong> and ask questions if you don\u2019t know. In fact, most managers prefer you seek assistance rather than attempting to learn through trial and error.<\/li>\n
  3. Have realistic expectations.<\/strong> If you do the job you were hired for, your time to shine in the spotlight will come. You will eventually be given those tougher assignments and growth opportunities. With your supervisor\u2019s direction, create a list of goals for the first few months on the job and establish a timeline for meeting them.<\/li>\n
  4. Stay open-minded.<\/strong> Recognize that procedures at your new job may be different from what you\u2019re used to. Make sure you give these new systems a chance before suggesting something different.<\/li>\n
  5. Get to know your coworkers.<\/strong> Introduce yourself to everyone you interact with and try to get to know them on a personal level. Consider inviting them to lunch so you can talk without interrupting your workflow. It\u2019s important to start building relationships with your coworkers early on so you can turn to them for assistance and advice.<\/li>\n
  6. Build rapport.<\/strong> Show an interest in people and their jobs by doing more listening than talking, especially in the beginning. And remember to be pleasant to every person you meet, from the CEO to the mailroom clerk. You never know whose help you may need.<\/li>\n
  7. Stay away from office politics.<\/strong> Disengage when discussions turn to complaints about coworkers or other office gossip. Becoming involved in office politics can damage your budding relationships and efforts to establish a positive reputation.<\/li>\n
  8. Keep pressing, politely.<\/strong> It may take time to earn other people\u2019s trust, but in due course you\u2019ll be given the opportunities you seek. Volunteer to assist your coworkers. Start by asking for small things \u2014 sitting in on meetings or partnering with someone on a project. These moves will prove you are a motivated contributor interested in playing a vital part in your company and team\u2019s overall success. You\u2019ll also gain the satisfaction of knowing you\u2019re doing your best.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Realize it can take several months to feel like you truly fit in and feel comfortable at your new company and role. Keep your head up and remain enthusiastic. Displaying genuine excitement for your job and your coworkers is one the best ways to ensure you start off on the right foot.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Best of luck at the new job! Thanks for writing to OfficePolitics.com!<\/p>\n

    Paul McDonald<\/strong>
    \nSenior Executive Director,     Robert Half<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

    \"\"<\/a> Paul McDonald<\/strong> is senior executive director with Robert Half International<\/a><\/strong> (NYSE: RHI), the world\u2019s first and largest specialized staffing firm. Our divisions place professionals on a temporary, temporary-to-hire, and full-time basis in the accounting and finance, technology, office administration, legal, and creative, marketing and design fields. McDonald joined the company in 1984 as a recruiter in Boston, following a public accounting career with Price Waterhouse. In the 1990s, he became president of the western United States overseeing all of RHI\u2019s operations and most recently served as senior executive director of Robert Half Management Resources. Over the course of his nearly 30-year career with the company, he has spoken and written extensively on employment and management issues based on his work with thousands of client companies and job seekers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    \"Licensed<\/a><\/p>\n

    Dear Office-Politics,<\/p>\n

    I\u2019m a recent college graduate and have never really been very good at playing the office politics game.<\/strong> Sadly, I have already had two positions in the past year and the problems I ran across at both companies were politically-related. I don\u2019t care about being the popular person, the department poster child, or the biggest and brightest (though I\u2019m sure that will come eventually).<\/p>\n

    Right now, I\u2019m just trying to learn how to apply my college education, get along with people, and grow into a position<\/strong> where I can become the biggest and brightest. I am very frustrated though as I have been very much underestimated in my past positions in the form of not being given anything to grow with, but when I\u2019m not given those things, coworkers tend to develop the perception that I am not capable of the job because I\u2019m not working on it. Even when I did ask for tasks or projects to be on, I was told there\u2019s nothing for me (though there\u2019s sure a lot for everyone else!). So, I can\u2019t get the knowledge without the work, but can\u2019t get the work without the knowledge. The past companies have dealt with proprietary software, so there were no Internet resources to reach out to and documentation (if there was any) was very outdated. I was let go as my frustration manifested itself in the form of open boredom.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    I now have a new position<\/strong> I\u2019m starting in a couple of weeks that I\u2019m actually very excited about. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,528,1],"tags":[527,158,663,665,649,648,664],"class_list":["post-3733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-climbing-the-ladder","category-coaching-employees","category-office-politics","tag-dear-office-politics-game","tag-new-job","tag-new-kid-on-the-block","tag-office-politics","tag-paul-mcdonald","tag-robert-half","tag-robert-half-management"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3733","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3733"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3733\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3752,"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3733\/revisions\/3752"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.officepolitics.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}