HEARD
IN THE LUNCHROOM
From
Small to Supersize
You recently
accepted a job at a large firm after years of working at a company
with just a handful of employees. It didn’t take you long to realize
there’s a world of difference between a corporate giant and a
mom-and-pop shop. If you are feeling a little lost and wondering
how to make your mark, follow these tips:
- It’s
all in the network. In a smaller office, you probably focused
on making contacts outside of your company, but in a large business
you'll want to get to know people in other internal work groups
as well. After all, you may work with those individuals on cross-departmental
projects or need their assistance in the future.
- Movin'
on up. Bigger companies may offer more diverse and defined
career paths than smaller firms. Note the different tracks within
the company, and think about where you might want to be in a
few years, as well as how to get there. Your manager can assist
you in planning your professional progress.
- Get
some inside help. All offices have a certain degree of politics
and protocols, but those within a large corporation can be more
complex. Find a mentor within the company who’s well respected
internally to help you learn unwritten rules your first few
months on the job.
- Toot
your own horn. With so many other employees and, likely,
a large number of workers reporting to a single supervisor,
a manager at a big firm may need help keeping track of individual
accomplishments and contributions. Make it easy on your boss
by providing him or her with regular status updates that detail
your completed assignments, current projects and value you’ve
brought the firm.
What’s
Old is New
Want your
resume to stand out from the crowd? Try sending it the old-fashioned
way. Hiring managers and recruiters are often so swamped with
e-mailed resumes that when they receive one in the mail, it’s
like a breath of fresh air. They'll most likely open it and remember
your name.
Make sure
to print your resume on high-end, white or cream-colored stationery.
While you want your application to draw a prospective employer’s
eye, don’t go overboard with fancy flourishes like excessive boldface
copy or other text effects. Rather, use simple, straightforward
bullets to highlight key points.
And don’t
forget to give your resume a final check before putting it in
the envelope. In a survey of hiring managers conducted by Robert
Half International, more than one-third cited typos and grammatical
errors as the most common resume mistake.
Heard
in the LunchroomSM is provided by Robert
Half, the world’s largest specialized
staffing firm and a leading authority on workplace and management
trends. For more information, visit www.rhi.com.
