Suggestions for life in corporate America?

[Happy Panther]

Keep you head down and be professional especially around execs and upper management.

[TheRumGone]

yea the cliche actions speak louder than words works...i rarely say anything to upper management except the cordial "how are you doing".

 

keep your head down, learn as much as possible and try your best. i've gotten a ton of letters of recommendations from upper management doing just that in the various jobs i've had/have. if you show you care and are inquisitive about learning things outside of your responsibilities you will be fine. i've tended to get a lot more respect and admiration from saying little and doing everything in my power to learn as much as possible and work hard.

 

 

[Scrumtrilescent]

Play the waiting game.  Our COO has to be the last one out of a meeting.  Power move I guess.  I make sure that's not the case.  He loves it, I'm pretty sure.

[Kurb]

Create synergies, eliminate redundancies and integrate objectives

Develope organic self sustaining ecosystems, who drive synergy

[Kevin Greene]

Find out which bathroom SCP uses.

Avoid it like the plague.

[KSpan]

Work hard, ask questions, take things seriously enough to produce good work but not seriously enough that you become defined by your job.

[cookinwithgas]

Hope MadHatter isn't your boss.

[PantherMan89]

I don't have a lot to offer as I am short on experience as well. However, I found during my internship that it is very important to be nice to everybody. Don't think of anyone to be beneath you (not that you would). Everything from secretaries to maintenance to execs. I did not have a lot of face time with the higher ups other than a how are you doing but in my exit interview they all mentioned how much others around the office complimented me. This often times had nothing to do with the job I did as much as how I treated them. It could mean the difference between being offered a job and not. I know this all sounds like a no brainer but about 6 others interned with me and I know of more than a few who were not liked for this reason.

[thefuzz]

Carry around something to write stuff down on.  Names of co-workers, little things here and there that you may thing that you will remember....etc...

 

Cover your ass at all times.  Whatever it takes.

 

Use this, and try your best, this type thing is where a lot of your opportunities will come from.

 

Don't listen to the idiots that you call your friends now that think they will roll out of college and land a 60K job with full benefits and 3 weeks paid vacation.

[Captroop]

I said something similar in Jakob's getting his shiz together thread, but set yourself apart now. It's a lot more noticeable when an intern or an entry level employee is a world beater. When you get to be a world beater in your 30s, then people just expect that of you. So put in extra hours now (well, after you land a full time job, which we're all sure you will) and stand out from the herd early on. Hard work now at this point in your career pays off tenfold what it will in even 5 years. I haven't worked in a cubicle since I was 24. And I'm not going back. I am approaching 27, and my prerogative now is getting to a point where I can work from home 5 days a week. Still working in a cubicle on your 40s to me is a fate worth than death. This is the time where you control the trajectory of your career. You can set yourself up for a big ass promotion by the time you turn 25, or an average career of cost of living adjustments and occasional promotions.

And while I won't recommend being a kiss ass, because that is completely transparent to executives, and that won't help your stock with the good ones, I will say make your presence felt in the office, offer to help with other teams if you have time.

Oh, this one is huge: The real objective of your internship or entry level job is to make your manager look good. Period. No matter what else you do, make your manager look good; work hard for him or her and they will go to bat for you when it matters. Never go over his or her head, never bad mouth him or her, and never let them be unprepared for their meetings with the muckity mucks.

Finally, learn to read people. You need to be able to walk in a room, and learn everything you need to know about the people in it. Who is in charge? Who is that person's real brains? Who is just a loud jackass who has a lot of power, but everyone else at the top hates? Who is looking to exploit you to make themselves look better? Be cynical, and learn who the people in the room really are. Never treat them any differently, but know what they are about.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using CarolinaHuddle mobile app

[TNPanther]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Some of the stuff was really helpful. Headed in now for my first day and hoping to make a great first impression

[Scrumtrilescent]

You'll be stuck in HR and reading manuals all day, I wouldn't be too enthusiastic on the first day.

[Hawk]

good luck!

 

always carry something in your hands...get in the habit of having a day timer or a semi professional looking note book or something.  Take notes in meetings...even if they are bullshit notes...it gets noticed.  Empty hands = slack ass

 

learn to make just enough noise to be noticed but not too much to stand way out.

 

dress for success and walk with purpose, get a nice watch and always wear clean shoes.