What to Say with New Coworkers
You’re new on the job. You want to make a good first impression and establish good relationships with fellow workers. How do you respond when they ask you questions, some of which might be quite personal?
A recent New York “Times” Smarter Living article written by Allie Volpe provides some sage advice. Below is my summary of her counsel:
- Don’t engage in office gossip; strive to present a nuanced response when asked about a co-worker.
- Do meet with staff and direct reports when asked to join them for “happy hour”. If you don’t feel comfortable around alcohol, join anyway for a few times so you can learn more about your colleagues in social situations. Then you might want to suggest getting together with individuals over coffee.
- When asked personal queries (“Are you seeing someone?”), you can turn the question back onto the questioner with a bit of humor (“No, do you have any suggestions?”).
- When asked about your background and credentials, share your accomplishments with quiet confidence.
- You may choose to share your use of social media as way to more deeply connect with your work mates. LinkedIn is a good way to build your professional contacts.