Free They Don't Teach Corporate in College by Alexandra Levit Page B

depart at the midpoint. You don’t want to be the first one out the door, but if you’re the last one, you’ll set a precedent that you are willing to work late for the rest of your days at that company. Also, because many employers think they are entitled to work twenty-something employees to death, make sure your boss and colleagues see early on that you have a life outside business hours.
    In this age of instant accessibility, flexible workplaces, and virtual teams, it may seem ridiculous that anyone should be chained to a desk between 9 and 5 every Monday through Friday, but if your company is one that’s still rigid about physical attendance, you may not have a choice. My friend Harry told me that his company’s CEO stood at the window of his corner office and watched to see how many cars rolled through the gate one minute after 9 a.m. Remember that half the battle is showing up, so don’t get caught on someone’s attendance radar.
    If you are fortunate to have a flextime policy, don’t take advantage. Work the requisite number of hours, and while you’re on the clock, either in the office or at home, stay busy doing the company’s business. This includes resisting the temptation to be navigating between two Pinterest windows, your Facebook profile, and Spotify. I hear that you are an excellent multi-tasker, but your boss, who could be looking over your shoulder, doesn’t know you that well yet. Staying away from distractions will be difficult in the beginning, particularly because most managers have no clue what to do with new employees—it’s too late to involve you in an existing project, they do not trust you to handle anything that’s on fire, or they do not have time to show you the ropes. Nevertheless, you don’t have to sit at your desk twiddling your thumbs. Offer assistance to your managers and colleagues, and if anyone takes you up on the offer, make sure you do a better job than expected.
    Inevitably, your days at a new job will involve administrative work in some shape or form. If you’re a recent graduate, there is a good chance the company sold you on using your existing skills to do meaningful work. Therefore, you are probably insulted to be answering phones for the price of a college education. My best advice is to think of your time as an administrative assistant as a rite of passage. Everyone must do it, and by the time you emerge from your mountain of executive emails, you will appreciate the mundane tasks that go into running a business, and you will also have the knowledge and experience to contribute in a consequential way. If you’re a mid-level employee and someone requests that you assist with administrative work, do it with a smile. Yes,I realize that you paid your dues a long time ago, but that person might not know you blistered your fingers making 7 million photocopies as an admin. Trust me, you won’t be doing it forever. Provided you command a higher salary than an admin, the company will want to leverage your skills elsewhere.
    When your manager involves you in a project that includes coworkers, don’t jump in and take over. Do more than your share of listening and ask for direction from your teammates rather than suggesting your own course of action. Nothing turns people off like a newbie who waltzes in and says, “Well, at my old company, we did it like this.” The second this comes out of your mouth, people will think that if things were so swell at your old company, maybe you should go back. This is the last thing you want. For the sake of your professional persona, use your first projects as an opportunity to observe how things are done at your new company. You’ll have your time in the sun soon enough.
    During your first weeks, be especially careful about using company resources such as FedEx and international calling for personal reasons. Use any free time to research your position and brainstorm