Hints for Transactions from Classroom to Workplace

As graduating seniors face the workplace, the present recession pushes them into a tough marketplace where businesses basically are hiring to replace, not to add, employees and experienced employees from firms which have already laid off workers contend for these jobs as well. Furthermore, the present generation has the reputation (deserved or not) of poor communication, writing and interpersonal skills plus questionable work ethic and knowledge of business etiquette. Sandra Naiman, who wrote The High Achiever's Secret Codebook has a set of five recommendations for workplace entrants. These are: [1] use networking skills, [2] competence are important not only in accounting techniques but communications and interpersonal skills, [3] punctuality, team play and preciseness matter, [4] getting the job does NOT automatically mean keeping the job, [5] watch and ask before trying to get noticed.

I have made numerous mistakes on these areas over the years; hopefully, younger readers of Tick Marks can avoid these mistakes and learn from Ms. Naiman's good ideas--it also helps to have good role models among your university faculty, such as Neil Dortch and Carmen Reagan here at Austin Peay. While accounting students may not have to resort to prayer to get a job (versus some fields where divine intervention almost is needed to enter), it is still a difficult field and swallowing pride and minding Ps and Qs may be more important than usual.