So I saw all the great advice dished out on the university advice thread and I wonder what words of wisdom Charlton life would have for me.
On monday I'm starting a years placement at a government department working as an economic analyst.
This is my first "real" job so I'm a little nervous... anyone do a similar sort of thing and have any tips or just any new job/first day at work tips!
Thanks!
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Take notes as you will get bombarded with info and names.
Ask questions if your not sure. Much better than getting it wrong.
Dress smart. You can always dress down later if too much.
Don't spend all day on CL. I'll miss the likes and LOLs though : - )
Ask what learning and development is going and take as much as you can. Ditto join any project teams.
Don't go out and get pissed with colleagues until you've been there a while. A drink yes, 15 pints, no.
Work will occupy more of your time than anything excepting, possibly, sleep so you need to feel as comfortable and relaxed (in a non-stressed out sense) as you can. It is a fact of life that some people "fit" firms and organisations and others do not.
Some thrive in a large structured corporate environment where there is a clearly defined career path others take their chances in small firms where "strategy" means dealing with the most urgent thing that day. In other words unpredictable.
It's horses for courses so as I say be yourself and eventually you will find your niche. No work experience is bad, although it may feel awful at that time, because it is as important to learn what you don't like as what you do.
If you're married with children and other responsibilities it might be necessary to compromise in order to keep things together but if you're young and single my advice above stands.
Usually ends in them being really unpopular
When claiming any expenses back you must, by law, add 15% to anything you spent. It's known as Civil Unity Nominal Tax (be sure to abbreviate that when completing the expense form)
You should bow to anyone in a higher rank.
High 5's have replaced the handshake nowadays. Alternatively fistbump. If you must handshake it's always with the left hand.
Anyone in the same role as you should not be addressed by their correct name - men are "Geez" and women are "Sugar Tits"
Do this and you'll be fine
(1) Laugh at you
(2) For years ask you how your team Cheltenham got on at the Weekend
Really hate being late for anything, although however hard I try I never can seem to be late for something...
Means that if there is a rare occasion when your going to be late, they'll just ignore it, and like with me, it became a dept joke when I was late by 15mins once and was so annoyed about it
Seriously, retire as early as you can!
Communicate communicate communicate. No one will think you're shit if you ask for clarification on what you're doing. Did I mention, communicate?
As earlier, don't partake in the work banter til you've been there a while. Had a WORK EXPERIENCE guy try to partake after just one day. Needless to say he won't be coming back here too soon.
Week 2 - buy a reclining sun lounger for the garden and book a doctors appointment (takes a fortnight these days)
Week 3 - injure yourself at work
Week 4 - visit doctors and appoint law firm to represent
Good luck CA, just be yourself and write up everything you think might be useful to know. If you work in an office with more than a couple of people in, sketch out a map of all the desk positions and whenever you get introduced to someone, go back to your plan and write their name against their desk. Best way to remember names.