Ariel's Working Survival List
This may sound pretty stupid. But it's important. Let's say your boss is mostly not around (which is so in my case), she might ask for a weekly report from you and your fellow colleagues. So in this case, you already keep track of what you do daily. But some circumstances may require to record even more detailed (hourly tracking). Whether is it mandatory, such reports are actually your personal insurance in the office. You may never know which person in the office is not happy with you and decide to rattle to your boss that you are slacking your time off. And when you are confronted on what you were doing at a certain day (or time), you wouldn't want to be caught off-guard (especially for a forgetful person like me) and not be able to recall.
Such recording is also good to help you personally keep track what you have done over the days/weeks/months/years. You may start to feel overworked (or underworked) and thus this is when this recording becomes your useful evidence in a war between you and your boss and your HR.
2. Keep your friends close, your enemies even closer.
Everyone has at least a friend in the company. If you don't, at least be liked by someone. Try not to step on too many people's toes. Make as many people in the office love you - you may never know when you need their help. If you do make an enemy or two (or even more), don't be too openly hostile to them. The best tactic is to act as though you are their friend. It's never good to have too many enemies around you, especially if your position is all the way at the bottom of the ladder.
3. Humility is the best virtue.
Who doesn't like a humble and modest person? Unless it's fake of course. No matter what your position is, where your authority stretches to, it's always good to maintain the basic humility. People tend to be "softer" to other humble and polite human beings. Just like animals, if the other party is a threat to us, we will wear our armor and our spikes. Thus, it's best to be humble and polite - respect the seniors, your fellow colleagues, your supervisors, etc. A person with good manners is liked every where and this will help in the above point 2 that I mention. For a newbie like me, this is the best trait to have (if you are sincere) - seniors will be willing to teach you precious lessons that took them years to learn.
4. Do not simply follow the crowd.
5. Blend in.
Ok the above two points are related, and not at all contradicting. I shall explain why.
Every company has its pre-existing set of working ethics and style. Some hasn't been changed in years, so as a result, the way of working has become inefficient and may even be causing the company some damage. When it is obvious the methods of working (or recording or whatever for that matter) is not efficient and is causing attrition in the company, voice out. Do not skip levels of authorities and go straight up to the biggest boss. Speak to your super first, if all else fail then approach the boss.
However, keep in mind to blend into the company culture first. Every company has its own unique culture. So take note of the culture, learn and then blend in. Do not stick out like a giraffe standing among the rhinos. Blend in first, be one of them. Then if the need comes to voice out concerns regarding work processes, it will be easier to get your point across. People wouldn't think that you, a new-comer, is trying to flip the entire office upside down. They wouldn't see you as a threat, and thus it will be easier to get your message across and easier to get it accepted.
It has never occurred to me that these points I mentioned above are important. Though this isn't my first job, it is the first job I really cared about. So these lessons are all the more important to me. I'm not a saint so I do make mistakes. But considering how badly some of my previous jobs had went (by the time the half-year mark has reached), I think I've risen up pretty well in the past 7 months over here.
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