“There are some unwritten rules that employers 12. on Company Businever tell you, but you really need to know. Some ness & Business Meals
on Company Business or
may seem obvious, some may be surprising. They TravelingMeals – just because you can,
Business
do not order the most expensive thing
are here to provide some help and insight.”
circumstances should your t-shirt
have an opinion of any kind printed
on it and definitely nothing risqué.
For females, do not dress like a little
girl or a hooker. There are many TV
programs showing women dressed
in short skirts with low cut blouses
that are not actually something a true
business professional would wear to
work.
You want to be taken seriously, you
want people to respect you and listen
to you when you speak and value
your opinion and technical skills, so
try to stay neutral. You don’t want
the main focus to be what you are
wearing.
6. Steer clear of political, religious and other
controversial discussions
Opinions in general can be dangerous. Do not discuss politics, religion
or any other topic that may be
viewed as controversial. The safest
thing is not to discuss anything other
than work. Possibly puppies and kittens…but definitely not controversial
subjects.
7. Do everything that
you are assigned to do.
If you are assigned something to do.
DO IT to the best of your ability. Ask
for further information, clarification
or whatever you need in order for
you to do the work yourself; however, do not attempt to assign it to
some other intern or employee. I’ve
seen this happen first hand. You were
not hired to delegate work. You were
hired to help out and to learn.
8. Do not make faces,
roll your eyes, sigh,
swear, or …
on the menu. Don’t over eat. Don’t
drink alcohol. Yes, that’s what I said…
indicate in any way that you feel
don’t drink. Or at least if you are in a
the assignment is beneath you. It’s
tempting to let it out if you feel that social situation and do drink, do not,
running an errand is really not why under any circumstances get drunk.
I could write an entire book on how
you are there. And while it’s not
going to help you learn about your alcohol has destroyed a career.
specific field of study, it is going to There are many other unwritten rules,
teach you humility, team work and but these are the ones that seem to
will give you a glimpse into what it’s cause the most problems and while it is
assumed everyone knows these things…
really like to work for a company.
Doing whatever needs to be done, well, there’s a saying about assuming
whenever it needs to be done and be- too.
ing someone who can be counted on
to pitch in, help out and in general
has a positive attitude, will make you
a better employee in any field, doing
any type of work.
9. Salary/ allowance.
Assuming you are paid for your
internship, do not discuss your salary
with anyone in the company except
for your direct supervisor and/or
whoever is designated as the contact
person for payroll. If you have questions, talk with only the appropriate
person.
10. Do your best to get
along with everyone …
in the company, no matter what department they are in or what position
they hold. This is great practice for
your future. Cross-departmental collaboration and teamwork are more
than just a bunch of buzz worlds.
Being able to work with everyone is
vitally important to your career.
11. “Open door policy”
Many companies have what is referred to as an “open door policy” –
meaning if you want to talk to someone, you’re free to come in and do
so. Even the most casual companies,
would still expect you to knock on
the door first or politely ask if this is
a good time BEFORE launching into
whatever you wanted to talk about.
JULY 2015. CM. Page 11