Summary: Alexandra discusses workplace dynamics and helps listeners with the skills required to succeeding in any job. To download this podcast, click hereThe typical skills that are expected and required to succeed in any job are the same, and Alexandra outlines them in her book, They Don’t Teach Corporate in College. It is expected that there should be some discomfort the first year in a new job because there is an adjustment, but these tips can help shorten the adjustment period. The most common situation is not understanding what is expected of you and working hard at a job, but not seeing the result. There are other factors at play in the workforce that aren’t at play in school such as what your boss thinks of you, whether your work is visible to someone with authority, and whether your work is important to the company mission. She gives an example of how at her first job she was always putting out ideas and always being outspoken, but she didn’t realize that she was threatening the people who had been working on the project for months before she got there. It is important to realize how you are coming across to the people you work with, and to be aware of how you are impacting them. You should lay low the first few months to observe the actions of the those that are successful, and then model yourself after those people. Some coping techniques with this situation of being at a new job include making time for a work-life balance and increasing self-awareness. These soft skills such as communication, project management, and personal management apply to all types of jobs across all industries. Alexandra’s book provides young professionals with information to be more successful and to have things happen at a quicker pace. Alexandra Levit’s goal is to help people find meaningful jobs – quickly and simply – and to succeed beyond measure once they get there. In February, she was named as the Wall Street Journal’s newest career columnist and writes the Reinvent column that anchors the nationally syndicated Sunday Journal and appears weekly on WSJ.com. Also a current columnist for Metro US, Alexandra has authored several books, including the popular They Don’t Teach Corporate in College (Career Press 2004 and 2009), How’d You Score That Gig? (Random House/Ballantine, 2008), Success for Hire (ASTD Press, 2008), MillennialTweet (SuperStar, 2009), and New Job, New You (Random House/Ballantine, 2010). Her book on the top myths of business success is due out from Penguin/Berkley in spring 2011. Alexandra is a member of the Business Roundtable’s Springboard Project, which is advising the Obama administration on current workplace issues. She graduated from Northwestern University and resides in Chicago, IL with her husband Stewart and son Jonah. http://www.newjobnewyou.com http://www.alexandralevit.com Like this podcast, why not share it?
