Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - (Page 46) Adapting to Corporate Culture By understanding the corporate culture, you can increase your comfort level and chances for success. Like people of different ethnic groups, every company and organization has a unique set of values, norms, traditions, and customs. Corporate culture refers to the beliefs, behaviors, and practices of an organization and its people in the pursuit of a shared purpose, commitment, and direction. Simply put, corporate culture is who the company is, what the company stands for, and how things are done in that company. The culture tells you what the company believes in, strives for, and actually practices. By recognizing the corporate culture, you can increase your comfort level and chances of success in the organization. More importantly, you can determine if the company is compatible with your values and aspirations. To adapt successfully, you will need to meet expectations, manage office politics, build a track record, and avoid corporate traps and stereotypes. The strategies outlined here can help you. Finally, keep in mind these essential truths as you make your way in the workplace: You can’t succeed by yourself. You succeed when you share your success with others. Politics is not something at which you win or lose; it is, simply, the way things are done. Build a track record To ensure that your company recognizes you as an asset, not a liability, incorporate the following strategies into your job performance: Continually strive to develop unequaled and transferable skills. You have to think in terms of two extremes: unique and universal. Few things ensure a successful track record like developing uncommon skills or skills that have broad applications. Stay industry smart. Listen to what people are saying and read industry literature, including newsletters and trade journals. Position yourself properly. Meet expectations Corporations are extremely sensitive to the bottom line. People are l hired to produce results—to improve effectiveness and efficiency. Executives want people who can help them solve problems. Companies want people with a “can-do” attitude and good work habits. In short, they want people who: • Share the company’s goals and objectives. • Project the company’s image. • Understand the company’s products, goals, markets, and customers. • Are flexible and have a range of skills. • Are persistent, reliable, thorough, and able to meet deadlines. • Demonstrate initiative and a good grasp of what needs to be done without close supervision. • Communicate well both verbally and in writing. • Are congenial and cooperative. • Are team players. • Stay up to date in their fields. • Care about quality. • Leave personal problems at home. • Don’t act like know-it-alls. • Don’t watch the clock. Especially in times of economic downturn, companies look for candidates who can “hit the ground running.” They want people who can help grow their business and its future. Being in the right place at the right time to take advantage of new opportunities is not always easy, but it is within your control. Stay current on emerging profit and power centers, and technologies in your company. Always strive to improve the company’s bottom line. No matter what your job is—paper pushing or hardware production—you produce a product. Solicit and give feedback. Solicit feedback on how you can improve your performance and contribute more to the company. Identify problems that affect your organization and try to come up with ways to solve them. Take risks. After you get to know your organization, you should be able to see where the action is. Pack your “parachute.” You should always be prepared to answer the question “What would I do if I lost my job today?” 46/www.jobchoicesonline.com Job Choices: Diversity Edition 2012 http://www.jobchoicesonline.com Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition Job Choices 2012 Contents Opportunities by Employer/Website Index Playing Fair: Your Rights and Responsibilities As a Job Seeker Getting the Most Out of Your Job Search From classroom to question mark Reality check: Salaries for new graduates 4 Steps to Career Fair Success Network for Your Job Search 10 Tips for Using Social Media in Your Job Search From Student to Professional The Art of Writing Job-Search Letters Leader of the Pack The Interview: Connecting Your Qualifi cations To the Employer’s Needs Dressing for the interview The behavior-based interview Questions to ask in the interview Tips for becoming a video interview star USAJOBS: Work for America The Critical First Year on the Job Adapting to Corporate Culture Workplace e-Etiquette Selecting and Cultivating a Mentor Applying Your Two-Year Degree to a Four-Year Program Going on to Grad School Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - (Page Intro) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Job Choices 2012 (Page Cover1) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Job Choices 2012 (Page Cover2) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Job Choices 2012 (Page 1) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Contents (Page 2) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Contents (Page 3) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Contents (Page 4) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Contents (Page 5) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Opportunities by Employer/Website Index (Page 6) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Opportunities by Employer/Website Index (Page 7) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Opportunities by Employer/Website Index (Page 8) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Opportunities by Employer/Website Index (Page 9) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Playing Fair: Your Rights and Responsibilities As a Job Seeker (Page 10) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Playing Fair: Your Rights and Responsibilities As a Job Seeker (Page 11) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Getting the Most Out of Your Job Search (Page 12) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - From classroom to question mark (Page 13) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Reality check: Salaries for new graduates (Page 14) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Reality check: Salaries for new graduates (Page 15) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - 4 Steps to Career Fair Success (Page 16) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - 4 Steps to Career Fair Success (Page 17) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Network for Your Job Search (Page 18) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Network for Your Job Search (Page 19) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - 10 Tips for Using Social Media in Your Job Search (Page 20) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - 10 Tips for Using Social Media in Your Job Search (Page 21) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - From Student to Professional (Page 22) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - From Student to Professional (Page 23) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - The Art of Writing Job-Search Letters (Page 24) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - The Art of Writing Job-Search Letters (Page 25) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - The Art of Writing Job-Search Letters (Page 26) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - The Art of Writing Job-Search Letters (Page 27) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - The Art of Writing Job-Search Letters (Page 28) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - The Art of Writing Job-Search Letters (Page 29) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Leader of the Pack (Page 30) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Leader of the Pack (Page 31) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Leader of the Pack (Page 32) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Leader of the Pack (Page 33) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Leader of the Pack (Page 34) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - The Interview: Connecting Your Qualifi cations To the Employer’s Needs (Page 35) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Dressing for the interview (Page 36) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Questions to ask in the interview (Page 37) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Tips for becoming a video interview star (Page 38) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Tips for becoming a video interview star (Page 39) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - USAJOBS: Work for America (Page 40) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - USAJOBS: Work for America (Page 41) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - The Critical First Year on the Job (Page 42) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - The Critical First Year on the Job (Page 43) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - The Critical First Year on the Job (Page 44) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - The Critical First Year on the Job (Page 45) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Adapting to Corporate Culture (Page 46) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Adapting to Corporate Culture (Page 47) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Workplace e-Etiquette (Page 48) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Workplace e-Etiquette (Page 49) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Selecting and Cultivating a Mentor (Page 50) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Selecting and Cultivating a Mentor (Page 51) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Applying Your Two-Year Degree to a Four-Year Program (Page 52) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Applying Your Two-Year Degree to a Four-Year Program (Page 53) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 54) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 55) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 56) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 57) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 58) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 59) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 60) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 61) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 62) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 63) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 64) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 65) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 66) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 67) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 68) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 69) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 70) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 71) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 72) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 73) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 74) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 75) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 76) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 77) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 78) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 79) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 80) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 81) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 82) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 83) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 84) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 85) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 86) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 87) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 88) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 89) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page 90) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page Cover3) Job Choices 2012 - Diversity Edition - Going on to Grad School (Page Cover4) http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nace/JobChoices2012DiversitySpecial http://www.nxtbookMEDIA.com
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