Hey There,
There must have been times where you sincerely felt quite clueless at your job. This might have been in the early days, or on a new project. It could even be a new department. It is definitely not wrong to feel this way, but we have to handle this period in a way that doesn’t make you look less experienced than you are. Basically, do not wear your limited experience (or the lack thereof) on you sleeves.
It honestly doesn’t matter how much experience you have compared to everyone else. Always remember that you were hired to do a job and work with people around you, and if the hiring manager did not think you were up for the job, he/she wouldn’t have hired you. So find a way to view yourself as an equal, so you can be treated as one. Be careful not to go overboard and act like you are more important than everyone in your work place.
These are commonly used phrases that should be avoided, as they end up making you look less experienced than you are.
- “I Have No Idea”
You definitely do not know it all, nobody does. But answering your co-workers with this answer accompanied with a blank stare makes you look like you are not up to the task. You could offer what you know about what is being asked, and then go ahead to inform your colleague that they can confirm by asking another colleague. You could also give a response such as “I was wondering too!”. This makes your colleague perceive you as inquisitive and ready to learn.
- “Let Me Ask My Boss”
At every level in your career, you might have to confirm a couple of things from your boss. We agree. But be careful not to end every single conversion with your co-workers with this statement. Instead, you could say “This sounds great, but let me discuss this with other members on my team before we conclude”. This would make you sound like a collaborator rather than the lost intern.
- “Is That Okay?”
When you have to confirm certain things from your boss, avoid saying this. It makes you sound unsure about the position you’re taking on the subject matter at hand. You could subtly imply instead.
- “I Am The [Insert Lower Level Position Here]
When you are at the bottom of the chain at your organization – we have all been at that point before; you do not need to introduce yourself with your position. You could introduce yourself with your name instead, especially when you are dealing with clients or potential partners. Although your position is nothing to be ashamed of, they might view you as less experienced than you actually are because of the mental picture they have of your job description.
- “I’m Available at Whatever Time Is Convenient for You”
Really, are you? If the person you’d like to meet with wrote back and said that 5:30 AM on a Tuesday morning was convenient, I’m pretty sure you’d disagree. (And even if you didn’t, you’d look like you have nothing going on in your professional life.)
Try “Tuesday and Thursday afternoons work well, though I’m happy to be flexible,” which sounds similarly agreeable, but also shows that you have an important schedule of your own.
Regards,
PushCV Content Team.
