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« The Office Guide to Laughing at Work | Main | The Extreme Commute Is Not for Me »

April 27, 2006

Rookie Mistakes

I’m two weeks into my new job at Monster but two years into workplace mistakes. Among the more egregious? My cubicle habits (not cuticle, though that may be a subject for another day). Having always worked in open-plan newsrooms or had my own office, I wasn’t well versed in cubicle etiquette until I came to Monster. Everyone in the department is now well acquainted with my cell-phone ring, Internet browsing habits on advertising-jingled sites and doctor consultations. Note to self: Cubicle partitions don’t act like walls; there is such a thing as volume control and mute.

I’ve canvassed colleagues and friends for other mistakes. The rookie ones are the best. There is my journalist friend who mistakenly erased the entire day’s stories a few hours before deadline. There is her nephew who emailed what his new employer charged everyone to the firm’s very best client. There is my husband’s colleague who answered the phone with the wrong company name. There is my friend who asked that the boss leave a voice mail for a colleague, because the name of his boss did not ring a bell.

There are larger, more abstract, rookie mistakes. The administrative staffing firm, Office Team, did a survey that found misunderstanding corporate culture to be a rookie’s biggest mistake. I’m certain I’m guilty of that (only I haven’t realized it yet). Also on that list is not asking enough questions (I wonder if asking too many should count? I’m trained as a journalist, after all).

CareerJournal.com tells the story of a newly hired vice president who got fired after 90 days. His offense? Criticizing his new employer as incompetent, among other things. Of course, the biggest mistake will probably turn out to be listing my mistakes on this company blog.

Do you have any rookie mistakes? We’d love to hear them.

Exciting news: Monster Career Advice has been nominated for a Webby Award! Don't forget to vote for Monster Career Advice in the Employment category before May 5.

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Posted by Elizabeth on April 27, 2006 at 11:00 AM in The Daily Grind | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBack (0)

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I remeber my first rookie mistake was answering the phone with the wrong company name. It would be like every there call I would say the wrong company. I was glad that my boss was understanding and the clients as well.We would make a joke of it so that the clients would not be upset. But the first couple of times it was embassing.

Posted by: Rosemary Guerrero | May 17, 2006 12:20:30 PM

First impression of these comments is that the writers don't know how to spell korecktly! Could be a big turn-off for prospective employers. Check your spelling, then check it again.

Posted by: C A Brown | May 18, 2006 9:08:19 AM

To the last poster, lighten up! Just because they're posting here does not mean they need great typing/spelling/editing skills. That could be deemed overly critical and a 'rookie mistake' to this forum! (haha) I just like reading the interesting articles and have never used Monster to actually acquire a job. Besides, English could be their second (or third or fourth) language.... no need to be so hard on people. After all, companies also look for SUPPORTIVE workers :)

Posted by: Laura | May 18, 2006 4:42:10 PM

Biggest rookie mistake - blowing up at boss for unfairly criticising me when I had been working extremely hard. A fatal error whether or not you're new to the company.

Another fatal error could be posting your real name or too much detail on sites like this!

Posted by: Girl | May 19, 2006 1:27:34 PM

Top notch facts, opinions, suggestions and comments for the true rookie in general, new industry, new function/job/department as well as for those like me returning to this environment! As a related Monster blog noted: OfficeTeam survey cites Corporate Culture issues as key to individual success. I'm still learning and adapting after many years of varied experience, education, types of employers, supervisors and challenges.

Posted by: Rc | May 20, 2006 12:41:43 PM

There are many to choose from but the one that still haunts me is...
A former demanding boss had been in a particularly bad mood for a few weeks rolling. A colleague and i had often let off steam by complaining/commiserating/joking to one another.

One day boss comes to see me and was continuing his demands with me. After he left my cube I called my colleague in a neighboring cube to leave a msg of commiseration. I dialed his extension, fast forwarded past his outgoing msg to the beeep, and left a nasty little something imitating my boss.

Too bad my fingers had originally dialed my BOSS's extension, and fast forwarded past his outgoing msg. Hmmm, its a wonder i didnt get fired.

(no, boss didnt lighten up afterwards either)

Posted by: mpillar | May 22, 2006 3:57:17 AM

One "rookie mistake" I made was when my boss asked me to mail some important papers to our biggest client. I was in a hurry and made the address labels out, but I put our address in the center of the envelope and our client's address in the top left hand corner. It just so happened that my boss got the mail the day the mail came back, and he realized I had sent the papers to ourselves!!! I still havent lived that one down.

Posted by: Christy | May 22, 2006 3:51:55 PM

I just finished my MBA at night and my current company where I had a staff level position was going through some restructuring.

In my area, we had a supervisor then an interim Center Manager- who split time between our office and another-(I got along well with him)
The new President of the company spoke to the whole Processing Center one day. He gave word the company had hired a replacement but gave no time frame when he would arrive. Then he proceeded with a vision that was very progressive- The President encouraged everyone to do some TQM in their dept's and send their ideas to him.

So I wrote down my ideas and an action plan that would help my department. It was sound! I thought this was my chance to prove myself!

So I sent the plan to the President, CC: to my supervisor and the current interim manager.

The President gave me a cc: of his forward copy to the new center manager. With a Response "Mike what do you think about this?"

So I thought WOW! Someone is listening and we may get some action!

Mike the new manager, on the next Monday started his new position. He called me to his office- I thought I was in for a nice chat about the Department etc.

Instead I was scolded for not following proper Protocol? In addition I was told that there were many more issues at hand that needed to be addressed first. None were in my area and needless to say my plan, resolved issues in my area that just needed an OK.

All I know is that I was passed over on some new positions-and I never was able to develop a good rapport with this person. In fact after applying to several newly created positions- I was summoned to the new HR manager- who basically told me they were happy with my performance- but if I was seeking advancement I would probably be better off going to another company and recreating myself.

So I did- best advice I got!

Posted by: Gary D | May 24, 2006 11:45:42 PM

I was sacked for wearing a blouse that my lady boss considered too smart! She started shouting at me for no reason at all, I was extremely shocked and unable to face her for a while. When I came to, there was somebody else doing my job!

Posted by: uva | Jun 7, 2006 7:01:55 AM

There are so many, here is one:
A couple of days into my job, I befriended this guy ,Tom, who seemed really nice, and I felt comfortable talking to him and complaining about work and the boss and what not. Without realizing or asking him first, I started bashing my boss about how cruel and insensitive he is, and he treat people with disrespect, then I found out that TOM is my boss's SON. We laughed it off and I pretended to be joking. it was a close one, but I kept my job, but our relationship hasn't been the same.

Posted by: JD | Jun 20, 2007 5:29:26 PM

I remember I started worked in the last week of february, exactly at the same time another guy would start. - We were both invited to a "Pre-Season Start Party", just the Saturday before we started. This guy got ridiculously drunk, and putting his arms and whatnot over the managers and everyone. Hitting on another employee, and many other riduculous stuff... but in reality it was just silly. No one really got mad, or offended. They ended up telling me to take him home, when I was actually pretty wasted, but holding up my alcohol consumption. Never again was this guy invited to the "guys after-work drink session" and in company parties, everyone always "joked" about how he needed to watch out for the alcohol.

Even though, I wasn't part of the division of the "guys", I was always invited... After moving from the company, I still hold pretty good relationships with some of them, as friends, peers and clients. In other words, don't get trashed the first day.

Posted by: Nico | Sep 9, 2008 7:22:20 PM

My mistake: holding a boss to her promises in the interview that I would not be working in an area I detest and have no experience in- this happens to be the field that the person who had just walked out was in-

Well, I couldn't really do that- turns out, 1) nobody holds her to what she says- she is "flexible" 2) she had to pick up a lot of the work the other woman used to do 3) this made her very very unhappy.
So, I was doing my job very well- as agreed upon- but not the other stuff which I had never seen before or done & was promised loud that I would not have to do. She HATED me the entire time I was there- I mean she was nasty, mean, ugly- After 2 miserable years I was fired.
so here are my mistakes:
1) doesnt matter what a boss promises, what matters if what will make him/her happy NOW
2) do not stay in a nasty abusive situation. they dont get better.
3) people do not get fired for performance issues.

Posted by: ffs | Nov 23, 2008 6:30:54 PM

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