17 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOUR FIRST DAY AT THE OFFICE (thread)
1/ Your job is made of both explicit and implicit tasks.
One of your objectives during the first few weeks in a new position should be learning what your implicit tasks are.
1/ Your job is made of both explicit and implicit tasks.
One of your objectives during the first few weeks in a new position should be learning what your implicit tasks are.
2/ Three factors will disproportionately influence your career:
- Your performance
- How fast your company, your industry, your market, your city and your country are growing
- Your boss
Focusing on the 1st only and leaving the other 2 to luck is folly
- Your performance
- How fast your company, your industry, your market, your city and your country are growing
- Your boss
Focusing on the 1st only and leaving the other 2 to luck is folly
3/ The larger the company you work for, the more it will value efficacy over efficiency. Obtaining 80% of the result with 50% of the budget will be seen as a failure.
If you can't deliver, negotiate more resources, not less results.
If you can't deliver, negotiate more resources, not less results.
4/ Your boss *will be* uncomfortable delegating problems.
At best, it will delegate tasks.
Becoming good at understanding his problems will do wonders for you.
At best, it will delegate tasks.
Becoming good at understanding his problems will do wonders for you.
5/ Every few months, take a job interview for another position, even if you're not interested in leaving your current company.
Knowing you have options will make you more confident about taking that bit of career risk you need to deliver great results.
Knowing you have options will make you more confident about taking that bit of career risk you need to deliver great results.
6/ Raises:
- Assume you will not get any unless you ask
- Ask for a raise within your first 12 months (provided you did put in the required work)
- If you do so and they refuse, at least you will be able to learn what you should do to get it next time you ask
- Assume you will not get any unless you ask
- Ask for a raise within your first 12 months (provided you did put in the required work)
- If you do so and they refuse, at least you will be able to learn what you should do to get it next time you ask
7/ There might be reasons for your manager to refuse a $$ raise (eg no budget), but you should never accept a major increase in responsibilities without an increase in benefits.
Ask for time-off, flexible times, assignment to better clients/projects, whatever.
No excuses.
Ask for time-off, flexible times, assignment to better clients/projects, whatever.
No excuses.
8/ In most cases, you won't be promoted (only) by showing you're good at your current job.
You will be promoted by showing you'll be good at your next job.
What got you here won't get you there.
You will be promoted by showing you'll be good at your next job.
What got you here won't get you there.
8b/ (The last sentence above is a quote from Marshall Goldsmith)
9/ If you can, find someone who's in your boss' boss position (he doesn't have to be in your company) and ask him the following question: which traits do you look for to hire your subordinates?
Then, acquire the know-how to express them.
Then, acquire the know-how to express them.
10/ Chronic overtime will *not* help your career (though occasional one is fine and perhaps needed for the most ambitious).
If you want to spend more time on your career, stop working at your nominal time off and spend the rest of your time learning.
If you want to spend more time on your career, stop working at your nominal time off and spend the rest of your time learning.
11Consider your career path wisely. Do not cherrypick the perks of some career paths - only follow them if you would take both their perks *and* the costs for those perks (the time, effort, energy and sacrifices it will take to get them).
12/ Consider your career path wisely.
Do not cherrypick the perks of some career paths - only follow them if you would take both their perks *and* the costs for those perks (the time, effort, energy and sacrifices it will take to get them).
Do not cherrypick the perks of some career paths - only follow them if you would take both their perks *and* the costs for those perks (the time, effort, energy and sacrifices it will take to get them).
13/ Often, people like what they're good at even if they didn't like it previously.
You won't know if you don't like something until you'll become good at.
On the other side, if once you're good you don't like it, chances it will get better are slim.
You won't know if you don't like something until you'll become good at.
On the other side, if once you're good you don't like it, chances it will get better are slim.
14/ If by the analyses above your current career path doesn't seem worth it, have no fear in changing it.
Sunk costs shouldn't be considered too much.
Improvement and (knowing of) delivering value are what makes a career worth it, regardless of its prestige.
Sunk costs shouldn't be considered too much.
Improvement and (knowing of) delivering value are what makes a career worth it, regardless of its prestige.
15/ Within months 6-12, ask for training at a relevant subject for career growth.
If they don't reply with a training plan or similar alternative, seriously consider whether the company is a good fit for you.
If they don't reply with a training plan or similar alternative, seriously consider whether the company is a good fit for you.
16/ Send a weekly update email to your boss, even if he didn't ask for it, especially if he didn't ask for it.
Don't focus on what you achieved this week, but on what's on your plate next week, mentioning your bottlenecks if any.
Don't focus on what you achieved this week, but on what's on your plate next week, mentioning your bottlenecks if any.
17/ If you are delegated one task too many, never say "I can't do it."
Instead, reply "I also have to do this and that, and cannot finish all on time. What should I delay?"
The former makes you look lazy; the latter, goal-oriented.
Instead, reply "I also have to do this and that, and cannot finish all on time. What should I delay?"
The former makes you look lazy; the latter, goal-oriented.
