u/WanderingDuchess9

I just read a discussion about new employees struggling with things managers consider basic, like phone etiquette and handling transactions with several steps.

It made me think about office jobs, too. Knowing when to follow up, how to ask for clarification, what to do when two priorities conflict, or how to disagree with your boss.

A lot of those expectations only become clear after you accidentally get one wrong.

What did your first boss assume you already knew? And how did you eventually learn it?

I keep seeing people say some version of: “I know how to do my job. I just don’t understand how corporate works.”

Things like:

When should you speak up and when should you let something go?

How do you build visibility without constantly self-promoting?

When should you figure something out yourself vs. ask for help?

How do you know when to follow up or escalate?

How do you disagree with someone more senior?

How do you navigate office politics without becoming part of the politics?

Most of this doesn’t seem to be taught in onboarding or job training. People are just expected to somehow learn it.

So I’m curious, especially from those who have been in corporate environments for a while:

How did you actually learn the unwritten rules?

A good manager? Mentor? Watching other people? Making mistakes? Trial and error?

And what took you the longest to figure out?

I’ve been noticing how many people starting their first corporate jobs have questions that have nothing to do with actually doing the job.

How do I know when to ask a question?
How should I communicate with my manager?
How do I push back without sounding difficult?
How do I know who actually makes a decision?
How do I document my accomplishments?
What do I do when someone doesn’t respond?
How do I know what’s expected when nobody clearly tells me?

We spend a lot of time teaching people how to get a job, but I’m not sure we spend nearly enough time teaching people how to operate once they have one.

For those of you who have been working for a while, what is one workplace skill or unwritten rule you wish someone had taught you at the beginning of your career?