Workplaces Do's and Don'ts

Do: Dress for Success

Generally speaking, how you dress will be dependent on the type of work you do, the atmosphere in the office, and the culture of your workplace.

If all signs point to business causal, then do business causal. If all signs point to casual, then do causal with a business twist-- meaning, make sure your jeans (that is, if it is 100% OK to wear them) are not ripped, do not have holes, bleach stains, etc. (P.S. you might want to stay with a darker wash because they are generally dressier) and your top is more dressy than causal. That way, you not only fulfill your causal requirement, but you look more professional doing it.

If your office requires business attire, then dress accordingly-- no exceptions! Translation: wear the formal pants, dress, or skirt with classic pumps or flats and a button down shirt. A general rule of thumb for business formal is to make sure you have on three pieces before you leave your house. Example: pencil skirt, blouse, and jacket.

Please note the translation did not say or even so much as imply for you to wear a short skirt or a short dress with a slit up the back so high you are in danger of showing your goodies if your skirt or dress rose slightly while you were walking down the hall! (God forbid you drop your pen!)

Below is a photo of what you should NOT be wearing to the office.


Yes, she did wear the three pieces, but she is one big "don't"!

The girl's skirt is a good two-plus inches above her knees. When you wear a skirt or dress to the office, you want to be on the conservative side. You want your skirt or dress to hit right at or just slightly above the knee if you are petite (petite being a height at and below 5'4'')- - the more conservative the office, the longer the skirt or dress you will want to wear at the office.

Don't forget to go conservative on the top, too! Save putting your girls on display for after 5 p.m.! You want you co-workers to pay attention to you and your work, not to be mentally undressing you with their eyes because you have left nothing to the imagination with your floozie attire.

So, follow these simple add-ons to make sure you are dressed for success:

• Do take pictures while you coordinate an outfit to make sure it hits all of your workplace's criteria.

• Do the "sit test" when you opt for a dress or a skirt. How does one do the "sit test," you ask? Simple! Sit down in your planned outfit. Is everything still covered appropriately? You win! If not, save the skirt/dress for the weekend. If it still goes up too high it is probably time to say good-bye and donate it!

When in doubt, save the outfit for a weekend. And remember, it's always better to go more towards the formal and conservative side than to the casual relaxed side.

Workplace Do's and Don'ts

Do keep the gatekeeper happy.

While at work, you will likely be faced with one of the following situations:

• You are undertaking a task and in order to finalize it, you need to go through people to get to someone in a more powerful position.
• You may have an idea and you want to speak with someone about developing it.
• You are trying to find an "in" at the company and want to know more about someone's schedule in hopes of catching a few minutes of his or her time.

In order to get through to this person in the more powerful position you need to go through the gatekeeper (think: executive assistant or secretary).

For the gatekeeper to let you through, you need to keep them happy otherwise they won't be as willing to go out their way to you.

Some tips to keeping the gatekeeper happy are:

• Be kind and always remember your manners.
  
• Do something unexpected and generous. For example if you are trying to get through to gatekeeper in the morning hours bring doughnuts or coffee - it will put the gatekeeper in a better mood.
• Ask them about themselves and continue to build the relationship after your task has completed-- you'll never know when you need to get back to the head honcho!

Workplace Do's and Don'ts

Don't: Drive like an asshole through the parking garage!

We've been there. We know the feeling. It's Friday, 5:00 p.m., and you have had one hell of a long week. You are so ready to be on your way home and onto the weekend! You've got the bass and volume up in your car¹ and in three minutes you'll be on the expressway h.o.m.e. -- but, please(!) resist the urge to slam on the gas peddle as you whip around the garage.

What is this? Fast and the Furious 6? No, Vin Diesel.²

Driving like an ass through the garage will not bring you to your casa or favorite watering hole in any significant amount of time to make it "worth it." Calm down.

We all want to get out of there, but remember: there are other people that didn't get to sneak away from their offices and cubes three minutes early like you did and are walking through the garage to get to their cars! Please be considerate!

This also applies to the parking garage after class gets out for the evening students!

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1. Blasting B.Spears, again??
2. And, uh, especially not in your 4-door Camry, sir. What would the Mrs. think?! And, Vin? Enough already. How many times are you going to make the same movie??

Workplace Do's and Dont's

Scrolling through your Blackberry while at a meeting: "Don't!"

We know how it is: You start your new corporate job: new title, new business cards, new corporate AmEx, new Blackberry. (This is all super exciting if these perks come with your first job-- yea! You've made it!)

At first you're excited to get the Blackberry.¹ Make calls, check e-mail, and surf the internet: check, check, and check!

Then, the next thing you know you're bored at your desk and you check out BrickBreaker...who knew how much fun this little game could be? Check some e-mails, return a few phone calls, beat three new levels in BrickBreaker, e-mail the boss at the last possible second before you leave with a quick status update... and it's time to head home for the day. (Yea, L knows how it is!)

But, be warned: do not be tempted to indulge in the BlackBerry during a meeting, whether it's a one-on-one with your boss or co-workers, or in a room filled with executives. (Especially the latter!) Yes, you may very well see the Vice President of Operations scrolling through hers, but she's come a long way and has earned her title (and thus, scrolling privileges).

Is the message you send to higher-ups that you're an uninterested, bored employee? What is so important to you that you can't pay attention for 20 minutes?

If you must bring the BlackBerry with you, make sure it's on silent, and resist the urge to pick it up and see what the flashing red light is about!

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1. When will iPhones start being the norm? In L's opinion they are way more chic.

Workplace Do's and Dont's

Using your company's e-mail system for your personal business: Definite "Don't!"

Do not send risqué e-mails to Mr. Right Now (whether he is in your office or not) via your company's e-mail system.

Reserve your corporate account for just that: corporate business. You don't want your boss reading about how amazing your date was on Friday night, do you?

Or, just as bad, you don't want your higher-ups knowing you're wasting time forwarding a "funny" chain-letter type e-mail to all 20 of your closest friends? There certainly will be nothing "funny" about the meeting you'll likely have with your boss when she lectures you on the importance of "time on task." (Forget about sympathy from her when you have to stay late on a Friday to meet your deadlines!)

Also strictly prohibited in this category are risqué text messages, especially no picture messages(!), sent through your company's BlackBerry or other mobile device!

Trust B & L: there are definite ways for your boss to get into your e-mail account!

(And, no(!), "clearing your history" does not put you in the clear for using work computers for your personal business either!)

Workplace Do's and Don'ts

Some days are just definitely "one of those days": You wake up late, you miss your train, you spill coffee down your shirt and haven't found the time to pick up a Tide pen to store in your desk drawer, you get stuck in traffic, Bossman has piled more work on your desk, because he does not understand that there are only so many hours in the day...you get the idea.

What would really quench your thirst? A late lunch, complete with a nice icy cold [insert your favorite beverage here].

Resist the urge!

Do not get sloshed during lunch hour! Trust B & L, the day you decide to down margaritas for an hour before you go back to cubicle city is the day your boss will call you in her office for an important meeting with the Vice President of the company who's account you're trying to close.

Or worse, that promotion you've been working towards? Forget about it. It's going to your office Frienemy. Hate her.

Dating 101

Workplace Dating - The Do's and Don'ts - Part 1

Finding yourself single after college is increasingly hard-- not only are your girlfriends off doing their own fabulous things, but your dating pool as significantly dwindled down to slim pickin's. You are no longer surrounded by your peers-- your usual routine of Tuesday night dates has been replaced with you, the work you didn't finish from the day, and the TV going off in the background for white noise.

A lot of magazines targeted for women recommend inter-office dating, usually showcased with a makeout scene by the filing cabinets. (Getting out into the "real world," we begin to wonder, "Who really works in a place like that?!)

B & L want you to be forewarned before you slide the hottie in the cube next to you your number on a post-it: You've worked hard for four years building your education and now want to maintain your professional integrity that you're building, from the bottom of the totem poll on up!

If your office is small, B & L recommend staying away from dating any one. The same applies if you have a large company and you and potential Mr. Right Now work in the same department. Sure, right now all you can do is gaze over and think how cute he looks in his khakis and Lacoste polo and wonder how anything could possible go wrong...la de dah, off in dream land.

::Shake, shake:: Wake up!

Save yourself awkwardness of seeing that person every day after things sour! (And they will likely sour.¹) Think: Do you really want to overhear his conversation he's definitely going to have about his wild night at such-and-such club, name dropping all the people he saw, and the girl he went home with?²

Let us answer this for you: "No." Yes, you could do the same³, but you're way past playing those games. Just take our advice and don't get involved in the first place.

Also, suppose you were to date, what is your conversation going to centralize around? How your days were? You already know -- you were there for it all!

Now, this does not mean you should not socialize with your co-workers. Going out after work for drinks and/or appetizers is always recommended. It is good for team morale and networking. Just do NOT be the girl that has one too many drinks or eats like she hasn't seen food in days. Pace yourself. The same rule applies to any company outing.

If you are dating someone in your office, keep work at work, and your relationship outside of the office doors. Don't let the argument you had last night ruin your work performance during the day. Call your girlfriend at lunch if you need to vent.

And, most importantly, do not get caught trying to hook up anywhere around or near the office! This includes⁴:

> no footsie under the table;

> no accidental hand grazing at the table;

> no quickies in the supply room;

> no bum grabs as he walks by; and

> no sitting on his lap (even if the door is closed!).

Instead of trying to find a date at work, ask your friends if they know anyone or try your hand at one of the online dating sites.⁵

So, remember-- the workplace is just that: a place for work. Be extra careful when you mix work and your social life. The lines can become very blurry and you don't want to be out of a relationship and your job.

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1. What? L is a bit of a pessimist when it comes to relationships!

2. Most likely made up.

3. a la Cher Horowitz in the classic movie Clueless, sending yourself a gorgeous flower arrangement (or two!), dark European chocolates, and dropping your pen by his cube so he can check out your "stems."

4. But is not limited to.

5. MySpace not included. Creepy.