Tips On Returning to the Workforce

 

Special Guest Post By:   Barbara Pachter

Have you been out of work for awhile and now looking to return?  According to business etiquette expert Barbara Pachter, author of  NewRules@Work: 79 Etiquette Tips, Tools, and Techniques to Get Ahead and Stay Ahead, “The position people hold, the responsibilities they have and the type of workplace they enter may be very different than the one they left. As a result, it is normal for people to experience anxiety while learning their job and their organization’s culture”

Pachter stresses that it’s helpful for new hires to remember that no one expects them to know everything at once. Follow these eight tips to overcome new job jitters and make an initial positive impression:

1. Do more than expected of you. Naturally it is important to do your job and do it well, but you also want to get noticed. Doing more than expected of you is one way to have others see you as a competent person. Help others and volunteer for additional assignments.

2. Don’t keep comparing your former position to your current one It’s easy to compare the old to the new, but your colleagues don’t want to keep hearing, “Well, in my old company we did it this way” You sound like a know-it-all. Also, don’t complain about your salary. You may not be making what you did in your last job, but complaining won’t make it any larger. It just makes you annoying.

3. Know your company’s social media guidelines Social media has exploded in the workplace over the last couple of years, but it may not have been an issue when you were last working. Learn what you can and cannot do on Facebook, YouTube, etc. Also, do not post negative comments about your new employer. You don’t want to bite the hand that feeds you.

4. Greet people As you walk the hallways, stand in the lunch line, or ride the elevator, make an effort to say “hi” or “good morning” to others. You appear friendly and approachable when you do.

5. Listen to others. You cannot learn what others know when you’re talking. Listen more than you speak. Eventually though, if you don’t speak up, you can become invisible. Just make sure that when you do speak, your questions are relevant and your comments worthwhile.

6. Don’t advertise your inexperience. People often say “I’ve never done this before” or “This is all new for me” You want people to view you as a capable person. Reminding them of your lack of experience creates a different image.

7. Dress appropriately. What was appropriate in your old company may not be suitable for your new position. Look at what successful people in your company are wearing. You can usually model yourself after them.

8. Take business social situations seriously. Activities held outside the office, such as dinners in restaurants or holiday parties are still business events. Attend, mingle and don’t get drunk. You will meet more people and learn more about your company when you do.

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