I started a receptionist gig at a dentist office in Phoenix two weeks ago and wanted to get on the same page about how they want the phones handled. So I asked my boss for a 15 minute meeting and she literally said "just figure it out like everyone else." Now I'm scared to ask questions about anything. How do you guys handle a boss who seems annoyed when you try to do things the right way?
My first day at a marketing firm in Austin, I thought I'd be proactive and skip the 9 AM HR orientation to dive into my tasks. Turns out I missed the part where they handed out laptop encryption keys and now my whole week's work is locked behind IT support tickets. Has anyone else messed up by not sitting through those boring first day talks?
I showed up to my first office job last year in a button down shirt and tie. Felt good until I walked in and saw everyone wearing polos and khakis. My boss even pulled me aside after lunch and said "You can dress down a bit, we're casual here." I was so embarrassed. The next day I wore a polo and felt way more comfortable. Turns out blending in matters more than looking sharp when you're new. I wish someone had told me to scope out the dress code before my first day. Has anyone else been the overdressed person at their job?
Honestly, back when I started as a receptionist at a dental office in Columbus, I printed out every single email and filed it in a binder. Took me about 30 minutes each morning just to sort through the paper. Now I just use folders and tags in Gmail and it saves me hours. Does anyone else have a weird old habit from their first job that they can't believe they did?
Thought I needed expensive dress shirts and slacks for my first office gig. Dropped $800 at some store in the mall. First week there, everyone wore jeans and polos. The boss even said 'dress for your day, not your title.' I looked like a try-hard in a suit. Now those shirts just hang in my closet. Anyone else get duped by the whole 'dress to impress' nonsense?
I'm 22, work at a small accounting firm in Toledo, and for 3 straight weeks I was CCing the entire team on every single email. My manager finally pulled me aside and said 'you're flooding our inboxes with stuff only I need to see.' Felt like an idiot. Anyone else miss basic office etiquette stuff that nobody tells you?
I mean, I thought I was being smart saving money for my first real job. Bought this beat up office chair for $40 from some guy off Craigslist. After two weeks, my back was killing me and I could barely focus at my desk. Ended up spending $200 on a proper chair from Staples. Has anyone else cheap out on something for their first job and totally regret it?
Started a receptionist job at a dental office in Toledo last week, wore a nice blouse and dark slacks like the handbook said. Manager pulled me aside and said my outfit was against the unspoken rule of no patterns, even though nothing in writing says that. How do you find out about rules nobody tells you before you get in trouble?
I wore a full suit to my first office interview and got told I was overdressed, but my friend wore khakis and a polo and they said he looked too casual, so which side is actually safer for a first job interview?
I started working at a marketing agency in Chicago back in January. First few weeks I sent every email like a text message. Short. No greeting. Just the info. My boss pulled me aside last month and showed me the difference. She forwarded me a client email I sent vs one she wrote. Mine got ignored, hers got a reply in 2 hours. Now I always start with a greeting, one clear ask, and a thank you. Has anyone else had to relearn how to write basic emails at their first job?
I was sitting at my desk the other day bored and decided to calculate how much I actually spend getting to work. Turns out I'm dropping like $240 a month on gas and parking for my 45 minute drive each way. I found this out by just tracking my gas receipts for three weeks and adding up the parking garage fees near my office in Denver. Has anyone else figured out their commute cost and actually changed how they get to work?
Honestly, it's a small thing but it bugs me. I've been working about 12 years now, and every time a new hire sends me a message they just launch into their question without saying who they are or where they work. I noticed this last month when a guy named Mark from accounting asked me for a file and I had no clue who he was. Just a tip, start with 'Hi I'm X from Y department' so the other person has context right away. Anyone else see this a lot at their new jobs?
I started my first retail job about 3 months ago and I kept messing up little things because my manager would rattle off corrections while I was in the middle of stocking shelves. I couldn't remember half of what he said by the time I got to the break room. Last week I got brave and asked if he could just write it on a sticky note instead. He laughed but actually started doing it, and now I don't forget stuff nearly as much. Has anyone else tried something like this with their boss?