They Don't Teach Corporate in College

They Don't Teach Corporate in College: A Twenty-Something's Guide to the Business World (Revised Edition), Alexandra Levit, Career Press, 2009

You are fresh out of college, and you have just gotten your first corporate/white collar job. Aside from wearing a suit on your first day, what do you do?

If you have a lot of tattoos or piercings, strongly consider covering or removing them. This is just until you get familiar with your fellow employees, and they get familiar with you. As boring as it sounds, read the new employee handouts. It will include important stuff, like the company's smoking policy (if you are a smoker), and the number of vacation days that you have available (for the first couple of months, don't take any time off).

Get to know your nearby cubicle inhabitants. Some of them will be friendly and approachable, and some will not; don't worry about it. Realize that there is a difference between fellow employees who are good to have lunch with, and friends you can call when you significant other has just broken up with you. Sit down with your immediate boss, and iron out just what your duties are, and how often the performance evaluation (or other feedback) will be.

You will be given lots of boring, grunt work to do that you may consider beneath you. Just be quiet, and do it; it's called "paying your dues." Besides, it never hurts to show your boss, instead of trying to tell your boss, just how good an employee you really are. In meetings, it might be tempting to say that, in school we did it this way, or, at my previous job, we did it that way. In the first few months, don't do it; your job is to listen and learn.

Some of your fellow employees will be"difficult," at best. Take several deep breaths, count to ten, or get in your car and scream and curse, but don't lash out at them in the office. If you do, you will be the one with the attitude problem. Other employees are going to try to get you to do their work for them. Learn how to say no, without really saying no.

This is an absolute gem of a book. It will answer a lot of questions before they are asked. Large companies should in the habit of including a copy of this book (there is a more recent third edition available) with the handouts given to all new hires. It is very much worth reading.