Working the Crowd - Getting To Know The Boss, The Corporate Social Scene, Working Your Net, Using Social Networks
company people
Now that you have the big-picture view of your new company, it is time to get to know people one-on-one. Establishing strong on-the-job relationships will drive your career growth and give you a reason to come to work in the morning. When you first meet new colleagues, it's hard to imagine having an informal lunch meeting with them or talking reality television in front of the watercooler. You might think that your fellow employees should approach you because you are the new kid. However, in most companies, the pace of business is so frenetic that you'll be lucky if people even notice you've arrived. It's your responsibility to make sure that you are professionally and socially integrated into your department, and you'll be better off if you take action sooner rather than later. In this chapter, I'll discuss strategies for getting to know your new boss and navigating your company's social scene. I'll also touch on how to practice cringe-free networking and how to scout out the antidote for corporate insanity—your mentor.
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My immediate supervisor was so disorganized that it drove me up the wall. He was so busy trying to find his way out from underneath his desk that he was unable to communicate any vision whatsoever. His style put me off so much that I started to get really bitter. Eventually I could see my attitude seeping into our interactions, and I think my boss could tell that I didn't like him. Soon he …
When I moved to San Francisco to start a new marketing job in the cosmetics industry, I really wanted to make friends with the younger people in my department. I tried to get to know the girls who worked in the cubes around me, but they were such a tight-knit group that I thought I was back in high school. Every time I'd ask one of them to go to lunch, she would come up with some excuse, an…
I still can't stomach the whole networking thing. I was recently at a conference where I saw a guy who graduated from my school a few years ahead of me. I'd read something about him in the alumni magazine. He had an amazing job in my field, and I wanted to go talk to him more than anything. In the end, though, I was too self-conscious. Why on earth would this guy want to help me, and…
I've been on Facebook since I was a freshman in college, and even though I'm about to graduate, I thought about leaving my profile up as is. After all, it took me a long time to put that thing together and I'm kind of proud of it. But now my career counselor is telling me that I should be using my social networks to meet people who can help me find a job for next year, and she…
You may have heard that the best way to advance in your career is to find a good mentor. A mentor is a person, usually older, who can advise you on matters relevant to your career, and who offers support and direction as you progress in your field. Obviously, having a mentor is a good idea, but he won't come to you. You have to seek him out and proactively establish the relationship. Doing …
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