What I Did At Work As I Waited For IT To Set Up My Computer

(You should do this on the first day of your job too.)

It took the IT department at my new job FOREVER to give me a user ID so that I could log into my computer. But even without a computer I wasn’t bored. Here’s what I did while I waited for my computer to get set up (when I wasn’t at meetings):

1. Asked for a tour of our museum: Since giving tours of our museum will be one of my auxiliary duties, why not go on a tour with someone who is experienced in giving them? I also reviewed tour notes from a previous staff member. Even if you won’t give tours, you should take a tour of your museum or facility, if available, so you understand how the history of your employer ties into its mission.

2. Reviewed Dale Carnegie seminar training materials. Several years ago I took a class based on the Dale Carnegie’s seminal work How to Win Friends and Influence People. During the seminar, the instructor taught us how to remember all 30 of Carnegies’ principles off the top of our heads. I recommitted those principles to my memory.

3. Reviewed professional biography. Most people focus their professional biography on their credentials, current job title and employer. I do nothing of the sort in my professional biography. In my biography, I focus on my personal commitment to engaging people to empower them through outreach — and I note how I’ve shown this in my previous jobs. I reviewed this professional biography to make an educated guess on how I might show these same traits in my current job.

4. Reviewed personal code of ethics: As a graduate student of public relations I was obligated to write a personal code of ethics. Part of this class assignment involved determining what ‘ethical paradigm’ I use to make decisions — and how this paradigm aligns with my employer. I updated my code of ethics before I started my new job. But I’ve been at my new job long enough to make educated guesses about the ethical paradigm my agency its personnel use as they work to achieve its mission and how it relates to my own ethical paradigm.

5. Reviewed my personal brand action plan: As a graduate student of public relations I took a class on personal branding in the digital and ‘in-real-life’ worlds. I updated this plan before I started my new job. This personal branding plan includes sections on my ‘origin story,’ my personal social media strategy and networking strategy. In my office at work I reviewed this plan. I weighed how I might implement my public relations training at my new job in a way that is beneficial to both myself and my team.

6. Reviewed personal branding literature: My personal branding class came with lots of reading, and most of it is on the Web. Fortunately, I printed these readings each week when I took the class. I keep all of these articles in a binder. I read every single one of them while I waited to get computer access. I took notes on which ones I needed to focus on. During my free time at home I will consider how I can better apply the principles of the field to my personal branding while on the job and in my community. For example, what are my new weekly, monthly and yearly goals and what do they mean for my job and my community?

7. Reviewed my ‘astronaut’ book: I call it my astronaut book because it has an astronaut on the front cover. This book is actually a list of everyone I know from undergraduate school, graduate school, places I’ve worked, volunteered and the community. In short, the astronaut book is my network of contacts. I have 357 people in the book. I’ve spent some time thinking whether I am missing anyone. I’ve also considered whether there is anyone in there that I haven’t spoken to in a while that I should get back into touch with.

8. Reviewed personal portfolio: My personal portfolio contains my best work as a public affairs professional. I reviewed it to consider how will I bring the skills I demonstrate in my portfolio to my new job. I also spent some time thinking about what is missing from my portfolio that I’d like to have in my portfolio in six months or a year.

9. Reviewed my job ‘life cycle’ binder: My job life cycle binder has everything I would need to prepare to apply for and interview for a job — as well as the things I should think about even when I’m not looking for a job. Items in this binder include my resumes, cover letter templates, successful job applications (including my application for my current job), news sources, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) essays for public affairs officer jobs, lists of power words, lists of public affairs job skills, interview questions, interview preparation crib sheets and my list of questions for interviewers.

You should follow the same steps to maintain and build your personal brand. Unlike me, you will probably be doing these self-assessments on your free time over a course of several weeks or months.