Employers offer tips for success
OK, we’ve considered what NOT to do in your first job.
How about some advice with a positive spin? Here are some tips drawn from local and national sources.
1. Be on time. (Everything starts with punctuality. If you think you are going to be late, call in long before the start of your shift.)
2. Dress appropriately. (“Even in a casual environment, there’s a right way to dress,” said Irv Zakheim of Zak Designs Inc.)
3. Be certain you know what you are supposed to do. (“Make sure you clearly understand your boss’ expectations,” said Barclay Klingel, CEO at Cyrus O’Leary’s Pies.)
4. Exceed those expectations. (“Be the person who volunteers to do things that nobody else wants to do,” said Karen Holmes, recreation supervisor with the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department.)
5. Keep your personal life and problems at home. (And be circumspect about using office phones and computers for personal matters.)
6. Listen more, talk less.
7. Own up to mistakes.
8. After you have completed your tasks, ask for additional assignments. (“People notice that,” said Nancy DiGiammarco, director of marketing, sales and public relations at Silverwood Theme Park.)
9. Understand that you are not the star of the show. (“You’re fitting yourself in to an existing culture,” said Mike Taylor, owner of Taylor Engineering Inc. “You can be independent and you can be yourself, but you have to understand that you are the one who has to fit in, you are the new person.”)
10. When lining up an internship, think inside the box. (Established businesses and organizations that have track records of utilizing interns can be a better bet than an edgy-but-erratic outfit that’s just winging it. “You can do your creative thinking after you are in the job,” said Ginny Whitehouse, associate professor of communications studies and departmental internship coordinator at Whitworth College.)
11. Be nice to administrative assistants and clerical workers.
12. Start learning how to deal with criticism.
13. Figure out how to make your boss look good.