Greetings Divas! How was your holiday weekend? Mine was fabulous! So fabulous that I failed to publish this post to start the week. As you may recall, last month I began a series entitled "Business Blunders." In the first installment, I discussed 7 business blunders that occur prior to one being hired, some of which may contribute to one not being offered the sought after position. In Part 2 of this series, I hope to focus on 9 business blunders that occur after you've been hired. Check them out, and let me know what you think!
Blunder #1 - Consistently Showing Up Late - So, you were ecstatic to receive the call offering you a position with your desired company. You've showed up for work 10 minutes early every day for the first month. Now that you're "in," you start showing up 10 minutes late...often! Not only is this unprofessional, but it is also quite raggedy. It is also a quick and easy way to get fired...one that has nothing to do with your actual work product. Being on time for work is one of the easiest categories on your evaluation to control, so control it! As I learned in college, to be early is to be on time...to be on time is to be late...and to be late is unacceptable. My rule of thumb is to arrive at work at least 1o minutes earlier than your start time.
Blunder #2 - Frequently Leaving Early - If your company is paying you to work for 8 hours, working for 7 hours and 45 minutes is not cool. What's worse is when your supervisor starts noticing that you're skipping out of work early. Unless there is an absolute emergency or unless you are excused by a supervisor, be sure to work your entire shift. And just so we're clear, working your entire shift does not include knocking off 15 minutes before quitting time to get ready for quitting time. You get me?
Blunder #3 - Wearing Inappropriate Attire - What is your company's dress code? Is it business apparel? Is it business casual? Is it casual? Whatever it is, be sure that you are aware of the do's and don'ts of your company's dress code, and steer clear of the don'ts. If there is no official dress code, head over to the human resources department and ask.
Blunder #4 - Inappropriately Handling Personal Affairs During Business Hours - Pissed off with your significant other? Catching up on the latest gossip in your neighborhood with your best friend? Looking for a sitter so you and your spouse can go out to a movie? Nobody else in your office should know that! It's not appropriate to handle personal business during work hours. Now, I completely understand that things come up...it's a natural occurrence. The appropriate and considerate way to handle these things is to step out of the office area to handle your business...no need to interrupt your colleagues.
Blunder #5 - Missing Assignment Deadlines - In most businesses, time is money...it's just that simple. Missing assignment deadlines is beyond raggedy...way beyond! In my experience, missing deadlines usually translates into losing money. It follows that your blatant disregard for assignment deadlines may signal to management that you don't care about the success of the company, which is the wrong impression to give. Unless you have discussed and arranged for an extension on a deadline, get it done on time...earlier if possible!
Blunder #6 - Doing Your Personal Shopping in the Office Supply Closet - Office supply closets can be exciting....no, seriously they can be! Whenever I go into my office's supply closet, I feel a semblance of the thrill I typically reserve for a trip to Target. In spite of this feeling, don't be tempted to pilfer office supplies to use in places other than the office. No shopping for school supplies for the kiddies. No stashing of paper to use in your printer at home. And don't even think about absconding with that a box of envelopes. Either way you spin it, it's stealing, and it's grounds for termination. Don't do it!
Blunder #7 - Surfing the Internet Excessively - If using a computer is a huge part of your job, it's natural to stray away from work to check out the Internet. Checking sports scores, shopping for a new pair of shoes, catching up on the latest entertainment news...it happens! And for the most part, a little straying is not a problem. It only becomes and issue when you spend more than the appropriate share of your work day surfing the Internet. My suggestion is to learn up on your company's Internet usage policy and follow it to the letter. If a policy does not exist, head back over to human resources to see if they have answers. If not, limit your non work-related Internet time to 30 minutes per day total...excluding your lunch hour of course!
Blunder #8 - Taking Unplanned Vacation Days - Unless there is a real emergency, it is really unfair to your colleagues to take unplanned days off. This can really become an issue when you are working on something that requires all hands on deck. If your colleagues are depending on you to be at work, it can really put a strain on your team to unexpectedly be minus an extra team member. In short, be considerate of your work mates...and don't draw unnecessary attention from your supervisor for being inconsiderate.
Blunder #9 - Constantly Complaining - This one is simple...it's probably not a great idea to constantly complain about your job while you're at your job...never a good idea! If it's that bad, find somewhere else to work where you'll be happy.
That’s all for Part 2 of the Business Blunder series. What are some additional post-hire business blunders? Please share in the comments section below!
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