Surviving in the Work Force(04/08/2018)
"And I think it's going to be alright
Yes, the worst is over now
The mornin' sun is shinin' like a red rubber ball"
- The Cyrkle
Today I celebrated my thirty-third year of service at the Philadelphia School district. In less than two years, I will be able to retire with nearly a full pension with thirty-five years.
My father worked thirty years for the Philadelphia Police department and my father in-law worked forty years at the Greyhound bus company. This is a rarity today.
The road to "freedom" has not always been easy but it looks like I will be able to leave on my own terms. There were times when I was not so sure.
Over the years, I survived several cuts in my department. Sadly, many of my friends were let go, including my manager. Below are my recommendations for surviving in the work force.
MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION
When you are the "new kid on the block", it is not only important to be respectful to your managers but show reverence to co-workers as well. Especially those who have seniority.
When you pass a co-worker in the hall, greet them with a friendly smile and hello while making eye contact. Often, employees are judged on how they conduct themselves as well as the quality of their work.
Keep in mind that there is a reason employees have remained with the organization for a long period. Management values them as well as the work that they do. These employees likely have management's ears.
Personally, I have a three-strike rule. If a new employee does not acknowledge my friendly greeting, I give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they did not hear me.
If this occurs a second time I write it off to shyness. After a third, time that person no-longer exists to me.
While I will not go out of my way to reveal this act of insolence to my manager, I will mention it to co-workers. Eventually word gets around and the new employee builds a poor reputation.
In my former years of service, men were required to wear a dress shirt, tie and dress pants. Managers wore suits. Times have changed.
Many companies today have a relaxed dress code based mostly on the success of West Coast companies such as Apple Computer and Microsoft.
However, this is not a license to dress poorly. I once had a friend who looked better in a T-shirt and jeans than his father did in a $500 suit.
Although my pal did not wear expensive clothing, his attire was always clean and he was well groomed. In contrast, his father was overweight and usually needed a shave.
Your appearance matters. It shapes your reputation. Is it not preferred to be recognized as the person who completed a hot project before deadline rather than the kid who wears the same wrinkled shirt each day?
I favor a conservative look featuring dark pants (black, navy, gray) matched with light neutral colored "polo" shirts. Khaki pants can also present well but care must be taken to avoid wrinkles and dirt.
Avoid mixing neutral colors. A light tan shirt combined with gray pants portrays a dull look. Dress for success, you are not necessarily dressing for your current job but for possible future opportunities.
INVEST IN YOURSELF
You are your own best asset. Do not depend on your employer to improve your job skills. Escalating your knowledge base is the most effective way that you increase your value.
Be proactive and educate yourself. Used books are available online at a reasonable rate. I still refer too many of the books that I have purchased years ago. They reside on my bookcase and are often borrowed by co-workers.
Completing an on-line course is another relatively inexpensive way of improving job skills. When our shop was converting to a client/server platform there was a demand for programming skills in third generation languages.
When I recognized our department was hiring outside consultants to complete these tasks rather than in house training I enrolled in an online course.
This enhanced my reputation as someone who was willing to show initiative and lead to opportunities working in the new environment.
START THE DAY RIGHT
Although many have heard the cliché "A day without yellow juice is like a day without sunshine", it seems the most popular morning drink is a cup of coffee.
Stop by any Wawa in the morning and you will find cars zipping in and out of tight parking spots to get there fix of morning "Joe". I have never acquired a taste for coffee.
Instead, I start the day with a fresh 16-ounce bottle of fresh water. It is important to stay hydrated. Water is needed for good health. Drinking water in the workplace is critical for productivity and mental alertness.
A good warm-up is also helps productivity. Professional athletes always take time prior to the game to warm up properly. Professionals in the work place should do this as well.
I usually start the workday by reading a few versus from scripture. After which I listen to a couple of my favorite songs. This puts me in a relaxed state of mind and prepares me to have a productive day.
THE BOSS IS ALWAYS RIGHT - IN PUBLIC
There is a reason we are born with two ears and one mouth. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has a reputation for saying very little during hearings.
As an alternative, he focusses on processing the facts conveyed in the case. From 1994 to 2004, he was the third leading dissenter on the court.
Justice Thomas went 682 cases between 2006 and 2016 without speaking a single case related word.
When in meetings be respectful to the opinions of others and do not be overly argumentative. Never contradict the boss. Sometimes it is wiser to speak privately to make your point.
CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE
I once had a co-worker who prior to going on vacation placed a trashcan on top of his desk. Pasted on the side of the can was a sign reading, "Incoming requests". My co-workers and I thought this hilarious.
Management did not view it that way. This fellow was released when our department faced budget cuts.
DELAYED GRATIFICATION
Do not abuse your leave time. When I first started, I rarely took time off. This policy enabled me to develop a reputation of dependability.
It also increased my leave time bank allowing me flexibility in the future when I needed time off. My leave time request were usually approved. Endure the inconvenience in the past to enjoy the convenience in the future.
HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY
Report errors that are not in your favor. I once noticed that a personal day I had taken was not reduced from my leave bank on the following pay period. I promptly reported the mistake and it was corrected.
Had I not reported the error I likely would have gained and extra day off. However, I gained credibility by this display of honesty. It paid dividends when I mistakenly neglected to record overtime that I was entitled.
Correcting mistakes is a two way street.
ACCEPT CRITICISM GRACEFULLY
Most offices scrutinize computer applications before being released for official use. Generally, a group of the developer's peers review the application.
The purpose is to ensure that the computer code meets the department standards and runs efficiently. This can be a humbling experience.
In some instances, envious colleagues use this as an opportunity to elevate themselves with their criticism. In these situations, it is imperative to put your ego aside.
Take the criticism gracefully and thank co-workers for constructive criticism. Use this as a learning opportunity.
NEVER SAY CAN'T
If asked to execute an assignment never, say that you cannot do it. Always respond in the affirmative.
Statements such as, "I will sure give it my best effort", or "I will do whatever I can to complete the task" are better received.
Once you start a difficult job, you may find your knowledge base increasing as the work progresses and additional resources made available.
I was once having a difficult time completing a project. I felt that my current job skills were not suited for the task.
I typed a memo requesting removal from the project; however, I did not send the memo. Each day thereafter, I made some progress.
As time passed, I made additional headway and I was able to complete the task.
GO HOME ON A POSITIVE
Work diligently throughout the day. If you complete a milestone towards the end of the day, stop, reflect and start anew the next day. It is always better to depart in a good frame of mind than leaving work in frustration.
KEEP A JOURNAL
It is always good to keep a notebook available. Each morning enter the date on a new page and log any significant messages, algorithms, or ideas. At the end of the day, record final thoughts.
This will provide a quick reminder for how to begin the next day. This technique will also afford a future reference.
Keep a desk calendar and use it to highlight key dates. Whenever I take a day off from work, I record it on my calendar. I also use it to provide a visual for important upcoming deadlines.
Many of my tasks run yearly. When a new year begins, I reconcile the previous year's calendar and highlight upcoming events on the new calendar. I note important reminders on the month prior to a due date.
This aides my work planning for the month.
SOCIALIZATION
Although interoffice socialization is healthy, keep it to a minimum. When you leave your desk, carry a note pad. This presents the appearance that you are involved in a work assignment.
When conversing with colleagues speak proper English and refrain from using profanity. Children learn at an early age to use their "inside" voices in the classroom. This applies to the work place as well.
Embrace technology but do not abuse it. "Dot com" machines and "text boxes" can serve a useful purpose but can also be the "devils tool". Information sent via email or as a text message easily becomes permanent.
Use extreme care when using this media. I once mistakenly clicked the "reply all" button instead of the "forward" when replying to an email. My response reached a high-level manager in a nana-second.
Realizing my mistake I quickly phoned the individual to apologize and put my message into proper context. The manager graciously accepted by explanation and it went no further. However, this could have had severe consequences.
DON'T REINVENT THE WHEEL
I store a copy of computer code that I develop in case I need it for future use. Often times, code can be difficult to develop. First, an algorithm is written to solve a particular problem.
Then the algorithm is converted to computer code. Finally, the code is debugged and tested. This is a time consuming process. Over the years, I have stored several binders for this purpose.
The binders are indexed by specific categories for easy access.
HELP I NEED SOMEBODY
Over the years, I was fortunate to be able to rely on extremely bright colleagues for help. Leave "no stone unturned" before seeking assistance.
This way associates will not feel used and it will save embarrassment if the solution is a simple one. When seeking advice have notes prepared and code highlighted as well as testing results available.
This will save time and present the problem clearly.
HOLD THE PHONE
Always give 100% attention to work related visits. Refrain from receiving text messages or phone calls when meeting with a co-worker/client. On site visits, take precedent, missed phone calls can be returned.
Several years ago, we were vacationing at Ocean City, Maryland. After a hot day on the beach, we stopped to place a dinner order of hard shell crabs. While placing the order the clerk stopped to receive a phone order.
After finishing the phone order, he preceded to take our order only to be interrupted with by another call. Feeling disrespected we left the take out and preceded to take our business across the street.
OC Maryland being the capital of hard shell crabs sported an abundance of crab eateries.
HAVE SOME FUN
Including travel time. you are likely to spend more than half of your waking hours in the work place. If possible, make your job your hobby. That way you are not really working.
Partake in social activities such as holiday parties and extracurricular activities. When I first started, a co-worker was attempting to recruit a new player for their lunchtime pinnacle game.
When he asked me if I knew how to play the game, I replied with buzzwords that pertained to the game (trump, meld, marriage, etc.). Even though I was not an experienced player, they accepted me into their game.
In a short period, I made new friends and had something to look forward to during the day. During the summer, I participated in an office volleyball game.
This activity provided good exercise, was enjoyable and fostered social bonding.
The work environment need not be a burden. The work place is what you make it.
|
