1.
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Expect a period of
adjustment.
Be patient
and flexible with
yourself, your
co-workers and
supervisor, and the work
environment. It will
take time for you to
adapt to your new job
and organization.
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2.
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Adopt and maintain an
open attitude.
Resist the
temptation to make snap
judgements or find flaws
with your new job. Use
the resources of
Studienforum Berlin
(Resident Director,
student coordinator,
program staff, etc.) to
discuss issues and
problems and determine
strategies for solving
them.
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3.
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Talk to everyone.
Do not be
intimidated because you
are a student. People
are often too busy to
offer you focussed
attention. Take the
initiative to talk with
co-workers and
supervisors, and ask
questions.
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4.
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Ask for tasks to do.
Do not wait
to be told what to do.
Solving problems and
taking the initiative
are the best methods for
maximizing your learning.
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5.
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Read everything you can
get your hands on.
Reading
mission and vision
statements, websites,
letters, memos, press
releases, trade
publications, and
marketing communications
will help you to become
informed on many
elements of your
organization and your
field.
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6.
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Do not complain about
the grunt work.
There is
always something more to
learn. How long you do
grunt work depends on
what you make of it.
Each experience serves a
purpose. Learn how the
small things fit into
the big picture.
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7.
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Exploit your student
status.
As a student,
you pose little "threat"
and can often have more
access and opportunities
than a full-time
employee. Most everyone
wants to help a student
learn.
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8.
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Make the effort to get
along with everybody,
especially your boss.
Learn who
people are, what they
do, and how you can help
them and how, in turn,
they can help you.
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9.
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Explore and learn the
organization's culture.
Every
organization is unique.
For your career, it is
often as important "where
you do what you do" as
it is "what you do."
Find our your
organization's values,
its "real" expectations,
and its social and work
norms.
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10.
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Ask to attend meetings
and events.
You will
learn how work really
gets accomplished. Also,
see if you can interact
directly with the people
your organizations
serves, including its
students, clients,
customers, and patients.
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11.
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Follow through on
work commitments and
deliver what you have
promised.
You do have
to prove yourself when
you are new. Therefore,
seek out opportunities
to "show your stuff."
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12.
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Do
not burn any bridges.
You never
know when you will
encounter someone later
in your career. Moreover,
keep in mind that your
co-workers and
supervisors constitute
the foundation of your
professional network.
Some of them you will
need to write
evaluations and letters
of recommendation for
future professional
applications.
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