Transitioning to the Real World

Many CSU students are quite familiar with the “Real World”. You may be working full or part time, raising children, involved in community activities, and so you are no stranger to time management.

Doesn’t that just kill you when people make a distinction between your college experience and “the real world”? Somehow they imply that you are not ready for the responsibilities of a career after graduation, that you have no clue as to what will be required of you in a “real” job.

CSU students work as salespeople, servers, support staff, substitute teachers, tellers, interns, co-ops, cooks and cashiers. They know how to balance work, school, family and life, setting priorities and meeting goals.

So what will be so different after graduation?

Here are some ideas to ensure your professional success:
1. Look in your closet. Jeans and flip flops may have sufficed for the past few years, but now you will need to upgrade your wardrobe. You will need one or two good suits (especially for interviewing). Even if the work environment is casual, gentlemen should always wear collared shirts; women should forsake the skinny jeans and go with dress slacks.
2. Find a mentor. Your company may have a mentoring program in place, but if not, find someone (not your supervisor) who can help you navigate the vagaries of the corporate world. You need to learn the politics of the organization from an insider.
3. Be nice to secretaries. They know where the bodies are buried, but they’ll never tell, hence the name “Secret-aries”. They will keep you out of trouble with bosses, auditors and the like, as long you treat them with respect.
4. Work a full day, every day. No coming in late, no extended lunch breaks, no unexplained absences. Your boss expects you to be there every day. No matter what long time employees may do, you still have to prove yourself, so demonstrate that you are dependable.
5. Admit your mistakes. Every sitcom on TV has an episode where someone tries to cover up a blunder at work. It makes for great comedy but lousy reality. Confess your error before it gets out of control, and you will save yourself a lot of grief.