part three
you got the job—now what?
Here’s an analogy someone shared with me: when you first enter a new organization, your coworkers pull their “cameras” out of their desk drawers and take a picture of you. In essence, they form an impression—of how capable you are, how dependable, the range of your skills. Then, being busy people, they file the photo away.
There is an old saying that you have only one chance to make a first impression. Fortunately, that’s not completely true, but it is up to you to create reasons for people to pull those cameras back out of the desk drawer when you’re ready for a second look. You need to plug in, connect to people, and make a substantive contribution to the essential activities of the organization.
This part of the book is about doing just that.
In chapter 10, I share some perspectives on your future colleagues. The role work will play in your life will probably be quite different from what it was for your parents, and certainly for your grandparents. My goal is not to stereotype people but, I hope, to give you a better sense of why the people you meet in the workplace may approach things in ways that seem a bit odd to you—and what you can do to bridge any gap you may find. I profile the three older generations represented in today’s workplace:
- ✓ Traditionalists
- ✓ Boomers
- ✓ Generation X
Understanding the evolution of how each generation views work will, I hope, help you interact with future colleagues more effectively.
In chapters 11 and 12, I offer my perspectives on some of the key skills that you will need at work: hard skills such as writing and finance, and the soft skills that are necessary to relate effectively and continue the good impressions you’ve undoubtedly made during the interview process. These are chosen to help you make a good first impression and even better impressions over time. They are skills that I believe are critical in the changing workplace.
Today, one-third of new employees begin investigating alternative employment options within six months of being hired.1 This stems from choosing a place that doesn’t fit with your preference and passions—the types of issues I discuss in part II. It’s also a result of not integrating effectively once you’re there. That’s the point of part III—plugging in.