Online Career Tips

Milton from the movie Office Space.

By: J. Mason
Online Career Tips Staff

Being apart of workplace culture is developing more into a skill. In the future this valuable skill will be called upon through social media, something the employer will dig into before you even step foot in the interview. So, what can you do to fit in, or at least not be the butt of office jokes?

1. Dress for success, not to be the center of attention.
   For women: Styles are constantly changing and pushing the limits. So before you try wearing the latest off the runway make sure to reference the dress code manual at work.
   For men: This should be easy. Tuck in your shirt, make sure it’s cleaned and ironed, and try to stay away from wearing sneakers.

   Why sloppy or suggestive make you a don’t – You need to be approachable with colleagues. That means good hygiene, clean and wrinkle free clothes, and also an outfit that won’t offend others or HR. If what you wear makes others uncomfortable you may become an office joke.

2. Remove all caps and superfluous exclamation marks from emails.
   It’s obnoxious when it looks like someone fell asleep on the exclamation mark. Using all caps sends the message that you’re yelling, and if paired with the wrong punctuation it can look like you’re screaming. Your co-workers won’t appreciate being “yelled” at and be snarky or more reluctant to respond. Proof and ask yourself what you’re trying to relay. If you’re not sure of the tone, ask a co-worker to proof for you first!
3. Be available and friendly.
   If you’re shy, being a social butterfly can be a stretch. Don’t test the limits of your comfort zone, but open up the possibility of saying hello more, or even sending a friendly email to your peers. The issue with being shy is that others can create their own impression of you if they don’t have much else to go on. You don’t need to share personal information, but by making more of an appearance it may dispel some negativity directed towards you.

We’re getting close to holiday central now, and it’s no time to be slowing down. Write out your reminders, then set them up on your work calendar.

[related: Give Yourself a Review]

Most businesses have their employees on Outlook for email and scheduling. If this is the system you use at work start setting up reminders for upcoming projects and due dates. Even with a company project management system you should still have a back-up to remind you of assignments. I typically set the due date reminder for a day or two before the task needs to be done, or earlier if it’s a bigger project with  more variables.

Another way to stay on top of things is to sync your email with your smartphone. While receiving emails at dinner may not be desirable, you can create rules and reminders related to the more important items on your to-do list at work.

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