Winter wisdom: Sharing work advice for December graduates
As December college graduates enter the workforce, we’re sharing some advice from current employees on how they can make their transition into the workplace a smooth one. Here’s what they had to say:
“Don’t be too loyal to a company. I think a lot of people my age, and I’m 54, made the mistake of thinking the company would look out for them and do what was best for them. It wasn’t the case back then and it certainly isn’t the case now. I have three sons and one daughter in their 20s and I tell them that you have to look out for yourself first. If a better opportunity comes along, take it. The long game used to be staying with the company to eventually get a great promotion. Today the long game is continually moving to work at places and in positions that will benefit you in the short and long run.”
-David Ronetta, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
“People always talk about loving what you do. I think that we get a little carried away with it sometimes. I have been a mechanic for 29 years. Do I love it? I can’t say that I do, at least not every day. But I like it enough that I can go back to it every day and I certainly like the stable life it has provided for me and my family. I hear so many people who advise people in their 20s to follow their passion and do what they love. It sounds good on paper but it’s not always doable. I would say live the life that you love. Work is a part of that life. Keep it all in perspective.” -Steve Dixon, Chicago
“Be nice to people, especially now. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to make other people look bad if you want but what’s the point? Not only is it poor form, but the world is small these days with everyone online. Do something mean to someone or mess them over and it will probably come back to haunt you.”
-Sarah Davis, Milwaukee, Wisconsin “Be on time or be early. I’m not just talking about in the morning when you show up at the office, I’m talking about be there a few minutes early for the 2 o’clock meeting or show up at the airport
early enough so that you don’t miss your flight. I don’t want to generalize with the younger generation, but I am amazed at the callousness people take toward punctuality. I have planned sales trips with younger associates and have had to make presentations that I was unprepared for because my co-worker missed his flight. And it happened on more than one occasion. And I still don’t understand this idea of casually
walking into a room for a meeting five minutes late, staring down at your phone or fiddling around with your laptop. The meeting starts at two. Get there at 1:55. There’s no bonus for showing up late. You just look like a jerk.”
-Andrew Koch, Barrington, Illinois “Steer yourself for good projects. Don’t turn them down. That doesn’t mean you take everything they give you; it means take — and offer yourself up for — projects that are worthy and that are going to get recognized. If you have too much to do, try to give something up.
Make the case that you can do good work on the new project instead. It’s a delicate process but I spent years working on things that just had to be done, projects
that didn’t really matter. And I watched co-workers get promoted because they had better material to work on.”
-Julia Welsh, Chicago