Many factors go into getting and keeping a job or internship, and some are more important than others. Professionalism, which means doing your job well with a positive attitude and acting appropriately for your work environment,is a characteristic completely under your control. It can make the difference between a painful semester-long internship and a dream job offer. Okay, maybe that sounds a little dramatic, but the fact is that from the minute you step through the door for your first interview until your last day on the job, the impression you make is extremely important. Of course, doing your job well is crucial to success, but being professional and knowing how to communicate with your boss will help you in your current job and make your boss more willing to give a glowing reference to future employers.
Forbes put it best when they said, “Your boss isn’t your best friend, your babysitter, or an ogre.” Even though this might seem obvious, it really is some great advice for peopleto keep in mind as they venture out into the professional world. For that reason, save the office gossip and drama for an after-work coffee date with friends because rumors and theatrics aren’t appropriate for conversations in the office. Hopefully, you can develop a quality relationship with your boss; after all, they are where you one day hope to be. They have advice and experience that could be really helpful. It’s fine to ask for advice, but it is not their job to hold your hand.
There’s no doubt that some bosses are just better than others, because the bad ones always seem to clash with their employees and cause tension at work. So, try to identify your boss’s strengths, weaknesses, and preferences. For example, if your boss looks sluggish in the morning, give them time to settle in instead of peppering them with questions at 8:00 a.m. Leave a brief memo with your topic for discussion and offer to have a cup of coffee with them. Pay attention to what upsets your boss, and adjust your actions accordingly.
Your boss is exactly that – your boss. So, regardless of whether you got the job or internship through a family connection, Bentley Link, or random application, your boss is an authority figure and needs to be treated with respect. Any relationship you have with them outside of the office needs to remain outside the office and a conversation you had with your friend’s parent at her house on the weekend isn’t necessarily appropriate for Monday morning. Also, keep in mind that at work, your coworkers are coworkers; save the personal stuff for conversations off the clock. All the Facebook privacy settings in the world won’t help you when a manager overhears you telling an office friend about your wild weekend or how hung-over you feel.
Finally, when you have an issue at work, don’t be too impulsive to barge into your boss’s office to complain. First, consider if it’s really a problem you can’t solve on your own; choose your battles. Use qualifying words like perhaps instead of absolutes likealways to avoid being perceived as overly aggressive. List the main points you want to make beforehand and stay calm, because you don’t want to lose your focus by becoming too emotional. Communicating respectfully, clearly, and openly will benefit everyone at work, especially the relationship between you and your boss.