A Number of General Observations of the Working World

11A Number of General Observations of the Working World
or
​A List of Things You Must Know Before Entering the Workforce as a Young Kid/Adult or Something Else
​Part 2
1-10

1. You are God’s Gift
Welcome to reality.
You aren’t.
No matter what your parents say.
Some people who read this will be the people who had a good start handed to them (ME!), while others have been hustling earlier than most.
Props to you, you who made it on your own!
 As for the others who were sheltered, well you’re going to work just as hard later.
Many are told they can be whatever they want to be.
This is true but in a matter of fact, you are a seed.
You will grow but in the beginning you start in the dirt like the rest of the world and will have to work your way up.
No bullshit, but that does help some seeds grow faster than others.
As for a religious deity’s chosen?
Well you might be or you might not be.
You just have to make it in this big world yourself.
 

2. Manners
Be polite.
It opens doors and gets you places faster.
If no one taught you, then you will fail.
They make the world go round.
Learn them or perish.
 
3. You are irreplaceable
You're not.
No really.
You're not.
For every job you apply to, the majority of the time someone left or was removed.
Don't be disheartened by this, as it is why there is space for you to get the job.
You can delay this process by putting your all into it but most times that won't be good enough or you're in above your head.
You can fake it but that will impact you in working harder and in most cases not smarter as your ass covering takes precedence over your capability.
Most importantly if you can be replaced just as easily as you replaced someone else, just be the best you can and hold on for as long as you can.
Be ready to leave if asked or on your own accord.
 
4. Appearances matter
How you look determines if you get the job in the first place.
Seriously, the first time people see you they will judge you.
Books and covers and all that.
Not many people in this modern day and age are against bad haircuts, tattoos and piercings but only if they are tasteful and in an area out of sight or can be covered or hidden away easily.
As society is more accepting of body art now, you can rock all the ink and steel you want.
 Bad pieces can be covered up or removed but be careful where that is.
Whatever your style is, TONE IT DOWN for your chosen field when starting. Unless you are working for yourself.
Wear your Sunday best to the interview or first interaction, hide your body art as your potential employer doesn't even know the real you yet.
Once they get to know you in a brief nutshell then you can produce your body canvas.
But don't get me started on fashion!
Unless you are in the fields that require your body art on show.
 
5. Wear a uniform
If you were like me you wore a uniform day in day out for thirteen years of schooling and hated every day of it (unless you got into a school without a uniform or were home schooled). Once out of school you have the freedom to dress how you like.
Every.
Day.
I’m like most straight guys and have no fashion sense apart from comfy clothes, hoodies, good clothes and wear on special occasions clothes.
But I learned this the hard way of figuring out what to wear in offices as most places have a smart casual dress code (for men usually a button down shirt or neat polo shirt with collars and trousers or at least chinos) to a full three piece suit and tie.
Just remember not all uniforms are made equal.
Your fast food polo shirts and trousers aren’t as good as a chef’s jacket and checks.
For the ladies it's different as they seem to be able to wear anything as they tend to understand the situation better, let alone fashion.
As I’m not a lady, I don’t understand fashion or shopping but being brought up by many in my family I do understand that they know what looks good and what is in and what is appropriate.
A uniform is good because it removes all choices of preparation the night before.
Why is this good?
You don’t have to put an outfit together for example, picking out a suit by colour/fabric (if your career is in suits and tie that is, if not pants, start with pants), undershirt/singlet, shirt/polo shirt, tie/bow tie, socks, shoes and accessories. Hell, having multiple uniforms ready to go on your day off saves you from ironing your work wear every day.
Plus uniforms look good.
Ask the ladies or fellas.
And to top it off laundry for a uniform is usually cheaper than getting suits dry cleaned constantly.
 
6. Or don’t wear a uniform
No uniform.
No worries.
Clothes make the person, so if you are creative enough you can make your own props.
So if you want to wear all a leather kilt with a leather jacket, go right ahead no one is stopping you.
However most places have a dress code so you have to stick by their rules and regulations.
But it’s all up to you and you alone in where you want to be and what you want to do.
 
7. The first real job is always the hardest
This statement is true to the very core.
Why would someone hire you with no previous experience?
Now if you study various subjects in school you gain this experience but in most instances you won't.
If your family is in an industry like hospitality, retail or creative, you most definitely gained experience from the forced labour your family makes/made you do.
 If you don't have this background, then you have a harder time in the job market.
Most schools (in Australia) make you do work experience/placement or community service, this helps but most times it's just free labour in your parent’s workplace.
From here though, you learn things about how the working world works and what not, and what position you want to get in to.
But when gunning that first job: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE REFEREES/REFERENCES THAT ARE NOT YOUR PARENTS OR HAVE THE SAME LAST NAME AS YOU!
Learn how to write a resume/CV to suite your field of work selected.
Have buzzwords in your resume?
Remove them as they mean bugger all.
Tailor your resume to the role i.e. Word format for all job resumes not in creative fields, if in graphic design or visual based job show what you can do but do not go overboard, if in creative fields such as acting then your face is key so add a headshot but make sure you add a demo roll or a link to your website/showreel, examples of work etc in your application, if in advertising you must find a creative way of getting your foot into the door. There is a story of guy who sent a shoe to an ad agency, maybe an urban legend but he got the job.
Also write a cover letter tailored to the business you are applying for. If you don’t know how to write a cover letter, learn. It is more of an about you, what you can do and what you are willing to do in the job you are applying for.
 
8. The interview
This is a combination of everything on this list and more.
If your resume/CV has been selected you will receive a phone call asking for more information about you so you potential future employer can find out more about you this means you are on the list that has the requirements for the job. After this you will usually receive a second call. This means you’re Either on the shortlist or a “you didn’t make it”. After this second phone call you’ll be called in for an interview. Face to face.
Now the interview in person is a lot harder than you think. You have to over dress a little in a smart casual dress code, preen yourself, have a hair cut, look and smell good. Why because it shows the interviewer that you are serious about this job.
Depending on what job you are applying for also depends on how the interview would proceed. Some Retail places usually have a group interview pitting multiple applicants against one another. Other places will just have one on one or one on two being the number of interviewers off the interviewee. After these two types you will be called into a one on two interview.
This is the make or break interview for the role applied for. Usually the interview will be with the highest manager or the owner of the outfit. This is for the job. This interview means you are being questioned about your experiences, what you can do and what you can bring to the company/s. This interview you have to know your CV cover to cover as well as your cover letter. If you get a call after this interview then you’ll have got the job. If you didn’t it will be an email informing you you just missed out.
Just go out there and keep trying.
 
9. Start early at a younger age
The older you get the more you appreciate the age you started working.
Unlike the people who focus on their social life using their parents’ bank account, trust fund or the government’s, they are at a disadvantage.
Seriously, you build up a nest egg early, then you got something to fall back on earlier.
I started working at 18.
I was old for my school year so my social life in licensed premises was limited to my younger friends’ birthdays (Australia’s drinking age is 18).
I saved money.
I bought things that I wanted but then things in life change.
Those savings held well until more and more friends came of age when your social life kicks up a notch.
A few friends started early (while in high school, smart bastards…) working and their bank balances were double to triple what I had by the time they caught up to my age.
So the early bird gets the worms.
 
10. If you didn't start young
Don't worry about the starting age of work.
There is none (in Australia at least), if your parent or guardian allows you to work but you work for a fraction of minimum wage.
The counter for this is you are usually paid minimum wage straight away (in Australia).
This means if your job contains penalty rates (Australia maybe some other countries) higher penalty rates than your younger peers.
Soon to be semi penalty rates (in Australia).
Though they are good, they require sacrifice of your social timetable or your work life balance.
Also you most probably graduated school and are in tertiary education heading to a field that you want to be involved in.
Let that be a guide for you in your job hunt.
Wherever you go, hospitality and retail will provide greater life lessons.
Other jobs do too but the amount of lessons about people observation and interaction are honed in hospitality and retail.
There is a plus side starting later: experience.
Experiences in life helps you in your future.
Your travel, your odd jobs, your hobbies, your interactions with people and every little thing you’ve done in your past will help with the future.