I need some tips.
I'm changing careers. Going from factory/assembly work to Office Admin/Accounting.
Yikes!! What a change! Offices are a whole 'nuther world away from factory work.
My first co-op placement was a complete disaster. This is the basis behind the co-op program though, to find where we fit and what direction we want to go. I didn't fit with the Township office :((
Any tips on how I can wrap my mind around the office setting?
Any office people?
look up how to be politically correct... LOL.. just kidding
best of luck with the new job!!!!... I have not worked in an office setting for years.. it would take me a lot of adjusting to how I speak... I know things have changed with being overly PC ... it would be tough for me to change... but I know when I was in that environment there was a lot of gossip about co-workers... backstabbing .. all sorts of not so fun stuff.. but you MIGHT have seen that at the township office
:)
I am an office of one now, but from other experience my advice is just like everything else...moderation is the rule, at least until you can learn who is who in the zoo. Be polite, friendly and helpful as you learn and do your work but not overly so. Listen but do not give your opinion on anyone or anything to anyone. Holding your tongue may be the steepest learning curve. Remember your the newbie so everyone thinks they are smarter than you even if they really aren't, but act as though you agree with their assessment. LOL. Good luck!.
Good advice, Pat. Yes - start out keeping a low profile. Don't kiss butt but don't be a slacker. Be careful what you say - especially jokes. It's a much different environment now. Good luck!
Don't share life experiences that aren't GP. Your religious and political opinions do not belong in the office - even if others share theirs. Listen to ALL the gossip but don't spread any. Get to work a couple of minutes early - come back from lunch on time and don't be the first to leave. Don't use cuss words, etc. as computer passwords - you never know when you will be out sick and your boss will HAVE to get the password to your computer. . . The office phone is for business and personal calls should be for real emergencies only. A jar of candy on your desk or adding to the office candy jar is a good idea if you can afford it. (Look for after holiday sales.) Good Luck - every office is different - some even have gardeners!
Thanks everybody!
What a learning experience this is gonna be.
Don't trust anybody! (lol!)
LOL!!
Especially yourself. ^_^
good luck
Yes, Good luck....by the sounds of it you may need it!! LOL!
A YankeeCat's advice is excellent!
rubbing eyes.... hi Seandor!!!
I would add that you should not overdo it with your cell phone. I personally couldn't care less about listening to gossip, but I think that's a gender thing. ^_^
You guys must have worked in some horrible offices. I had the best time when I worked in the accounting office at JCP.
Not me. We were very loose.
Why am I not surprised?
The most difficult thing is the lack of direction.
Working in a factory you know exactly what your job is and you know exactly what to do when the line's down. When the person next to you is behind, you help them in between doing your job.
In an office the lines are blurry, there is no set "job description". I've never gotten in trouble so much in my life for helping someone than I did in the 5 days I worked at that office.
The helping is a problem. Offices have "cultures" and everyone is different. I always think of my badge as a "passport" into another land so when I go to work and the culture is one I don't like - I can live with it. Some offices value teamwork - others are all about "owning" information. The more information one has - the more "powerful" they are and they aren't about to share any of their information. Having a degree in cultural anthropology would be helpful in figuring out the office politics - who is powerful and who is not. Where I work now one of the most powerful people is an administrative assistant.
As to gossip - it gives you insight into who is valued, who is a slacker, who is favored, etc. Offices can be cut throat and they can be wonderful, surrigate(sp) families. Remember everyone is there because they get a paycheck and that is their goal. Once you know that - any bad behavior is more understandable. Probably because I am at the end of my career, I don't try to change things where I work to "make it a better, kinder, place" I just shrug and get on with my own life outside of work.
Good luck
LOL.. very true... or rub shoulders!!
Or even put up a calendar with pictures of women - at all! Cats are safe for office calendars - and flowers, they are safe, too.
I worked as a temporary at People's Bank years ago and they had a dress rule that employees HAD TO WEAR UNDERWEAR TO WORK. They had the rule because not wearing underwear had been a problem in the past. Where I work now there is a rule that you can't wear flip-flops to work - again because someone actually came to work every day in 99 cent flip-flops.
We had the underwear rule at a factory I worked in.
This one man always wore track pants with no undies...it...um...didn't leave much to the imagination!!
Worked in one place that had a deoderant rule too...for obvious reasons.
wish mine had that
Underwear rule??
both deodorant & underwear ... I could tell you stories to make you all sick
No thanks. ^_^
that's why I held back
Got fired once for giving someone a gift package of deodorant, powder and perfume.
I love you Jen... LOL
Great one, Jen!
Glad I was able to collect unemployment benefits after that, the state didn't think that was a good enough reason to fire someone.
I wouldn't either!!!
Wow - you all make offices sound scary, LOL.
I'm in accounting - 35 people in my office. You should still have a job description even in an office setting. But I agree with a lot of the advice here. Be friendly, professional but don't get too "comfortable" with co-workers. An office full of women can be especially challenging! But I don't see office settings as having more challenges than other settings. Just different.
Yes - problems rise exponentially with the number of women. Personal experience there.
hate to say it.. but I agree
Yes, hate to vote against my own sex, but I'd rather work with a bunch of men anyday!
The trouble with offices, perhaps, is that the culture can vary dramatically office to office. I would ask a lot of questions during the interview to get a feel for the culture. It can make a huge difference. If you really like structure, and that's how you work best, I wouldn't go anywhere that doesn't give you a detailed job description so you know exactly what is expected of you.