I’ve learned a lot about what it means to work hard (and smart) from my Dad. Recently I was waiting to hear back from someone via email. This person—who shall remain anonymous—told me that they would not be reading my email after 5pm or checking email over the weekend. This (young) person also would not be checking or responding to emails during the recent snow days. Maybe I have been fortunate enough to grow up surrounded by so many motivated and hard working people, but this astonished me. People who are unwilling to check their email during a snow day?! Come on! Here are the five lessons I’ve learned from my dad about working hard and smart:
Be passionate about what you do.
Find something that you care about and make friends in the workplace. Especially as a young graduate, you’ll most likely be spending most of your time at work. We all worked hard for our degrees. Do something cool and useful with it!
Look for ways you can help your coworkers.
Always hold the door, be courteous, and show up with a few extra coffees once in a while. If your boss mentions that he or she is stressed with a project, volunteer to help in any way you can. By making yourself available and going beyond what is expected of you, you’ll earn the respect of your coworkers. Especially as a young graduate, it isn’t enough to just do what is expected of you and nothing else. You need to go above and beyond if you are going to get any respect. Build these relationships so that when you need help, someone will be willing to help you.
Make yourself available.
My Dad is definitely a workaholic, but he is really good at making himself available whenever someone needs him. It’s important to respond to people as soon as you can. Work-life balance is important, but so is responding to people in a timely manner, staying late at work, and maybe even hopping on a plane at the last minute when necessary. (Flash back to that person who told me they wouldn’t be checking work emails during the snow day…)
Give yourself enough time to get to work.
This is something that I really need to work on. Trying to squeeze too much in on your way to work will start your day off in a stressful way. Give yourself the time you need to get ready and look presentable, catch your train on time, or prepare for traffic if you are driving. Being late once in a while is generally understandable, but making it a habit shows your boss and coworkers that you don’t take your job seriously.
Know your value.
Depending on your career, you could either be easily replaceable or worth more to your company than you are being compensated for. Know where you stand, when to ask for a raise, or when to seek out other opportunities with higher salaries. The is especially important in male-dominated jobs, where men generally receive higher salaries than women for the same work. Find an appropriate time to meet with your boss to discuss a raise (hint—not when he or she is in a bad mood due to a poor financial report).
Good luck applying for summer internships, Collegiates! We’ve got this!
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