Are you ready to have a job?

Lots of college students and even some recent graduates have very little experience with “real” jobs—so it should come as no surprise that lots of employers aren’t exactly ecstatic with many of their new hires with those freshly minted degrees!

So who is supposed to be preparing you for the workplace?  Your parents?  Your professors?  Should employers be expected to train you in the basics of “how to be a professional” on the job?

Well, I don’t know who is “supposed” to prepare you, but I do know that employers are tightening up on their expectations these days.  If you don’t measure up, chances are that you won’t last very long in that job.  In fact, lots of employers these days won’t even hire anyone who doesn’t have some experience holding down at least a summer job or an internship.  

So, check yourself:  what are your answers to these questions?

1.    Good idea or bad idea:  Post a Twitter or Facebook comment criticizing your boss or your company.  (Bad idea!  And don’t assume your boss wouldn’t be up on such social networking sites!)

2.    Good idea or bad idea:  Answer your cell phone, read texts, or send texts while a more experienced co-worker or superior is training you in an office procedure.  (A really bad idea—and rude, too!)

3.    Good idea or bad idea:  Send a thank-you email to a co-worker who has helped you become familiar with the inter-office communication system, and copy the boss.  (Very nice.  Both your co-worker and your boss will be impressed with your thoughtfulness, and the boss will be pleased with your co-worker’s kindness as well—good all around!)

4.    Good idea or bad idea:  Consistently come in to work just a bit late, and dress a bit more casually than most others in the office.  (Duh, no!  Always be on time, except on that rare occasion that an emergency situation arises.  And try to dress at about the same level as your co-workers.)

There’s more, of course.  But the bottom line is that you’re going to have to take responsibility for learning professional behavior if you want to be successful in your first real job.  And one way you can do that is to visit us in the ULM Career Connections Office in LIB 302.  We’re happy to help!