Office Politics

Hello!

Last night I had a dream that I was in high school again, and that I had a math test I hadn't studied for, or even gone to class for. EEK! Made me thankful to be in college, where I've traded in problem sets for papers, and to have a job this summer instead of studying! Who woudda thought?

In our "first day" video, Brendan and I expressed our hopes for this internship. Brendan hoped I didn't raise the bar too high; I hoped for great coworkers. Now we're almost halfway through the summer, and luckily, we got our wishes in that he and I get along with each other and with everyone else in the office. But one of our readers hasn't been so lucky - she expressed in an email (which we love getting, btw) that she's previously had internships where she's fallen in love with everyone in the office, but for this one, she sincerely misses the fun "office banter." She poses a troublesome albeit common question: what if you don't like the people in your office?

Now, I stick by my words when I say that one of the most important things to look for when you're applying for a job is the office environment, even if it is a little difficult to tell from just an interview. Even if you love the work you're doing, your happiness can quickly plummet when you're either bored or annoyed with people in the office. Unfortunately, we don't often have the luxury of choosing a job just for the people, since there are other factors (income and experience, to name a few). But I would still suggest trying to gauge what it feels like in a possible future office by asking the interviewer or others in the office what it's like to work there. Their answers should tell you something.

But once you're there, stuck in stifling ennui, here's what meager advice I have: try your patience. Push yourself a bit to see if you can find common ground with your coworkers, even if it means putting yourself in a slightly uncomfortable position. Ask them about their jobs and what they like about them, see if they can grab lunch one day, etc. If you're still not finding anything worthwhile, I'd say that there's little wrong with throwing yourself into your work. I'm not saying be actively antisocial, but eating your lunch at your desk while you complete a A+ report could be more fulfilling for you than rolling your eyes during a lunch trip to Au Bon Pain. You'll get ahead in your work, and maybe the others will come to admire your work ethic, and by extension, you. I've had some luck with working with good people, but I also know the feeling of not clicking with people, so my advice comes from both sides. Readers, please contribute your opinions and advice!

Office politics can be tricky. I have a friend who's interning at a real estate agency this summer, and I was quite taken-aback when she told me what it's like in her office: since every agent is working for commissions, there's really no office unity. In fact, it's the opposite. Everyone's competing to get the top sales, to sell the most, to make the most money. Those who achieve this yearly become the top executives, who get their own corner offices and the comfy chairs at company meetings. I can understand how competition is driving and exciting, but I prefer camaraderie. So, I hope all you interns out there aren't suffering at the office!

I hope everyone has a great 4th of July!

Take care,
Kate

PS - The ABC News Nightline has aired the segment about Experience! It was on last night - here's the link. Check it out!