Now that I have THE job, what do I do? Where do I go from here?

Conduct is what we do; character is what we are.  Conduct is the outward life; character is the life unseen, hidden within, yet evidenced by that which is seen… Character is the state of the heart; conduct is its outward expression.  Character is the root of the tree, conduct, the fruit it bears.
-E.M. Bounds

Expense reports

What would you do?  You just arrived home after extensive business travel.  The mail has really piled up.  While you were gone you forgot to mail your credit card payment and now you have a $15 late fee. As if your expenses were not already tight, this is another thing you really do not need.
 
The next day in your office, you begin filling out your expense report.  You are still fuming about the late fee.  Then an idea presents itself.  Why not fudge a little on your expense report?  You can easily cover that $15 in what you record as tips.  Besides, it is your boss’ fault that you were gone, and the company will not miss the money anyway.
 
If you value honesty and integrity, you would be going against your values should you decide to falsify your expenses report.  In reality, this is a situation where many people believe personal values are good only at home, and may give in to this situation.  However, your values are expressed in everything you do.
 
Does this mean that if you do not value honesty that you can fib on your expense report?  Not really.  Let us look at the situation from a different perspective.  In the past, you exaggerated your expense reports just a little.  Now you are the manager of a division and you account for every last dime of money that goes through your division.  In an attempt to cut cost, you now begin looking over expense reports of your subordinates with a fine toothed comb.  Not because you know anyone in your division is doing anything wrong, but because you remember how easy it was for you to fudge on your reports.  No real harm has been done, or has it? 
 
Socializing off the clock

It is great to like the people you work with and, more importantly, develop lasting personal and professional relationships.  However, some caution is needed when developing these relationships.  Remembering to discuss work at a minimum and stay away from gossiping about co-workers.  This is your time to get to know your co-workers on a non-work basis, their interest, families, hobbies, etc. Continue to be on your best behavior even though you are not “on the clock.”  You do not want your antics to be discussed the next morning in the break room in front of your boss.
 
Traveling for business

When traveling for business it is very important to remember the reason for your visit and keep that in mind for the duration of the trip.  It is very easy to get caught up in the sights and sounds of a new city, but you must remember that you are there for business.  Of course, some business travel will be very enjoyable—you may have the opportunity to eat at great new restaurants or sightsee a bit, but you should always keep your trip professional.  It is very important to represent your company well when traveling and to accomplish the goal of the trip before returning to the office.  
   
Communicating in the Business World

Business communication is much different that what you may be used to in school.  Facebook, Myspace and text messaging are inappropriate forms of official communication and will not be tolerated in professional correspondence.  Visit the Business Communication tab for more information on the proper form of communicating via e-mail at work.