By Communication Consultant Xinyi Cui (Accounting and BIS, ’22)

Although you have prepared a lot before starting your first full-time job, is there anything you should try to avoid? As a rookie in a new environment, you wouldn’t want to do anything inappropriate or offend someone you don’t know well. Here are some common pitfalls to keep in mind: 

Avoid office politics or drama

It is not surprising that there’s the potential for a lot of gossip in the workplace. You may hear some complaints about someone in a casual chat, or learn about conflict or drama that happened in the office. However, it is recommended to stay away from those controversies to save time and energy. For example, when colleague A said something negative about colleague B, a good answer would be like “Sorry to hear that, hopefully you’ll figure it out soon. Is there anything I can help you with?”

Avoid isolating yourself

Some of us may be introverted and try to isolate ourselves to avoid relationship problems. But consider the “isolation expense.” According to Robert Greener who wrote The 48 Laws of Power, “Isolation exposes you to more dangers than it protects you from — it cuts you off from valuable information, it makes you conspicuous and an easy target. Better to circulate among people, find allies, mingle.” This suggests that we should network and socialize with our colleagues, and actively keep ourselves updated on workplace news, instead of being passive and the last person to get noticed. 

Avoid offending others

It is fortunate if you develop good relationships with all your co-workers and please all your bosses and supervisors. Unfortunately, this is not true in most cases – even though you always try to be kind and helpful, you may still offend someone by mistake. But you definitely need to be careful with important people who affect your future, avoiding any actions that can put you in an unfavorable light or even derail your intended career path. 

Avoid excessive chattiness

It is not a bad thing if you are communicative, but sometimes excessive chattiness can bring you trouble. As a result, it is suggested to do a quick reflection and answer the question: “Am I saying this because I just want to be heard or am I saying this because it needs to be said?” Obviously, the former is unnecessary and it’s better to avoid that. 

Avoid complaining too much

A lot of problems can arise in the workplace and may feel stressful, tedious, or annoying to deal with. There’s nothing wrong with bringing those problems to weekly meetings or directly to your supervisors. However, before doing that, it’s better to take an extra step and think from the audience’s point of view. Bosses or supervisors don’t want to hear unproductive complaints – instead they want to hear solutions and approaches to resolve the problem as soon as possible. So it is better to be prepared with the problem as well as its corresponding solution. 

Avoid being dogmatic

There are a lot of guides on preparing for full-time jobs, but we shouldn’t be dogmatic and rigidly adhere to all guides. Everyone should assess their own situation and risks, and be flexible with the solutions they choose. Remember: these are not strict rulebooks, just some common tips! 

I would highly recommend you read my previous article, Advice for Starting a Full-time Job, and have a look at some tips on what you can prepare. Also, feel free to email us or leave your comments!

Get information and resources about our center at The Philip Rauch Center for Business Communication.

Works Cited:

Vaiana, D. (2019, June 25). Starting a New Job or Internship? Here Are 10 Important Dos and Don’ts. Retrieved March 25, 2022, from College Info Geek website: https://collegeinfogeek.com/starting-a-new-job/