The views expressed by the business participants are their own.
Young professionals need to start saying “CYA” — that is, “Cover Your A**.” Why? Because it is the best way to avoid being used, taken for granted. In one study, 46% of workers said they take jobs because they can’t say no. Once you understand the importance of taking care of yourself and the work you do, you will be untouchable in the eyes of the person you want to do, the young professional, their scapegoat. I know. It happened to me early in my career.
My hope for all of humanity is that we all have good role models and mentors to help us on our way. Finding good mentors can be difficult. Unfortunately, many experienced professionals do the opposite. Other reasons could be that they feel threatened by younger workers coming up the ranks. Or maybe they feel the need to teach the hard way – to put people through the same stress they felt at the beginning of their careers. Traumatized people hurt people, after all. And let’s be honest, it’s easy to blame or blame a new person who may not yet have the courage to speak up for themselves. I like to think I speak for the youth.
In my personal life, I had a situation where, as the youngest person in the office, I was unknowingly chosen to go on all the angry calls we received (and, believe me, we had a few in my customer-facing role). My job was to approve or disapprove applications based on computer-generated numbers – without looking at the real picture of the person behind that number.
I quickly learned that the department that made the final decision was telling applicants that “I” was not accepting the application… I was bombarded with angry emails and phone calls and sometimes dreaded check-in appointments. When I saw what was happening, I got angry and started keeping all my documents to show the applicants that I was on their side. I had to cover mine for you-know-what. And I’ve been doing it ever since.
Related: 8 Steps to Survive Workplace Bullying and Save Your Dignity
Cover yours today
The professional world is like a sporting event. You have to play with offense. This does it not means to provoke or offend in an obscene manner. I mean you have to play bad all the time. Be able to support your work and defend your decisions. For example, double check or check any details in your writing or research before sharing the notes with your boss or clients. The last thing you want is for someone to slow you down in a meeting and make you look unprepared. Back up your information with hard data. Keep it in your back pocket in case you need to respond to anyone who wants to question your credibility.
Another tip: Save your emails. In fact, leave a paper trail if you can. If you want clarification on what was said or asked of you, ask for it by email so you can refer to it in writing. So, if someone decides they want to go back on what they said, they will have it in writing. Of course, it all depends on whether you prepare with confidence. When you can confidently say, “CYA” to your bosses or customers at times, you not only cultivate the habit of always being ready for the future but also establish the way you work in front of leaders – you position yourself as a person of honor. the leader as well.
Use your resources
Whether you’re writing, creating content or anything else, make sure you use all the resources available to you to make sure your work is of the right quality. Tools like Grammarly can help keep you on track with specific writing styles and proofreading. Other tools, such as GPTZero or QuillBot, can protect you from claims of plagiarism or excessive use of AI-generated content. These days, there’s no reason not to use an endless number of tools on a regular basis. And if you can’t reach what you need, ask for it. A good leader recognizes the determination and courage it takes for a young professional to ask for the tools and resources that will make them better at their job.
Related: How to Protect Your Work from Those Trying to Underestimate You
Your reputation – your name – is on the line
At my company, Bear Icebox Communications, we’ve been challenged before about how content is developed. I get it. We’re in the productive age of AI, and anyone, anywhere can log into ChatGPT and spit out meaningful words. But we, like other agencies in the content creation space, need to be on our toes and tight-lipped about how we use these tools. It is a question of our integrity as an agency.
The truth is that AI is changing the way agencies work and the expectations of the clients we serve. For someone new to the workforce, my biggest piece of advice is to keep your name clean. You will go from job to job. You will ask for letters of recommendation. You will have a list of references as you apply for new jobs. Your name is everything. How are you willing to protect it? Think about this in everything you do.
Follow your company’s policies, and document that you did it. And stay alert to your bosses. Find people who are willing to mentor and guide you. Build on those types of relationships. Likewise, point out when someone doesn’t have your best interests at heart – someone who doesn’t respect you or talks down to you. Read it now and know how to “CLEAR.”
Related: 8 Ways You’re Damaging Your Professional Reputation
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