THE REAL WORLD 101

You've got the college diploma, mastered the job search, aced the interview and landed that first job. Congratulations; you've joined the real world! Now all you have to do is act like it.

Sound simple? It's not as easy as you might think — and it's a lot more critical than you might expect, say business-etiquette and career experts.

"College and work are totally different environments," said Scott Williams, executive director of the Career Center at the University of Georgia.

College students are used to having flexible schedules, living with others in their own generation and getting regular feedback on their progress through papers and grades.

"The speed of business is much faster and constantly changing, and, in most cases, the hours are set at 8 to 5. One of the best things you can do is get your rest. Good judgment requires it," Williams said.

You may get a performance review only once a year, but that doesn't mean that bosses aren't tracking your progress.

As if that wasn't enough, "you'll also have to deal with budgets, car payments, apartment leases, taxes, life insurance, credit cards and college loan debt," he said.

The first year out of college is a huge transition, said Lisa Littlefield, assistant dean of career services at Oglethorpe University.

"How well you understand your new role as a working person will influence how quickly you succeed and will be offered opportunities to move up," she said. "This is a good time to put those analytical and observational skills you learned in college to work studying the new environment."

One of the first things Littlefield tells graduating seniors is to adjust their expectations of what a job can provide. Oglethorpe offers an eight-week transition course to help students make the leap gracefully to the working world, as well as a semiannual etiquette dinner to teach the finer points of business dining.

"College is an entire lifestyle, where you make friends and have experiences that go well beyond the classroom," Littlefield said. "Your new co-workers may not like to do what you do or share your lifestyle."

Some companies will hire a group of young workers, but, in many cases, you may be the only newcomer among well-established veterans.

"You'll need to build a social network outside of the office — maybe through intramural sports, the gym, professional organizations, clubs or church," Williams said.

Barbara Pachter, a business-etiquette and communications consultant to major corporations and colleges and president of Pachter & Associates, has delivered more than 1,600 seminars worldwide and has written eight books about business etiquette. In her latest, "New Rules @ Work: 79 Etiquette Tips, Tools and Techniques to Get Ahead and Stay Ahead," she breaks down real blunders in the workplace, such as putting your chewing gum under your plate at a business dinner or grooming in public, to show what went wrong, the consequences and how to avoid careless mistakes.

Her tips to new graduates fall into three categories. She advises graduates to develop a professional image, business social skills and career skills.

Develop your professional image

"One of the biggest mistakes young people make is not dressing professionally," Pachter said. "Think about what message you're sending with your clothing. Do you want to look like a little girl or boy — or a professional?

"Find a good department store with a seamstress who can adjust the clothes to fit you, and develop a rapport with a salesperson. Buy a few good pieces (suits, skirts, shirts, etc.) and learn how to mix and match. Remember that sexy is not a corporate look."

"Multiple piercings, tattoos and extreme styles are not the norm in conservative environments," Littlefield said. "When in doubt, it's better to dress professionally. If co-workers or clients are more casual, you can always take off your jacket or tie."

To make a good impression, day after day, show positive energy, Littlefield said. Say "please" and "thank you," make eye contact, smile and sit up straight.

"Do you walk into a room like you belong there? You need to establish your personal presence, greet people and shake hands correctly," Pachter said. She also suggests that workers learn to accept compliments and to acknowledge others for their contributions.

Spoken and written communication is laden with pitfalls for the rookie worker. College students communicate constantly through instant messaging, cellphones and Web sites such as Facebook. Business communications need to be more formal and grammatical.

"Learn to use technology graciously and well," Pachter said. " 'Yo' is not a proper phone greeting, and digital slang and emoticons have no place in business e-mails."

"A business letter might reach a few people," Williams said. "E-mails can be shared by a huge audience in minutes, so carefully craft what you want to say. Clearly articulate your ideas in a professional way. Spell-check. What you say and how you say it will reflect on you and your job."

It's also best to avoid water-cooler gossip, questionable humor and negative comments about others.

Many companies monitor their employees' communications, so don't use work time for personal calls and e-mails.

Develop your business social skills

"You need to understand the importance of business social activities. Eat properly, learn to mingle and, above all, don't get drunk," Pachter said. "One young man got so drunk at a holiday party that he cursed his boss out and got fired. He had no recollection of the incident and couldn't figure out why his ID card didn't work at the door the next day."

Oglethorpe brings in a consultant to talk about business dining manners and then follows with a five-course meal of things that are really hard to eat politely, such as French onion soup, whole-leaf lettuce salad, bone-in chicken breast and stringy pasta.

"The students really enjoy it, and I learn something new every year," Littlefield said. "The consultant stays and coaches them on their dinner conversation. Most students don't realize that food is not the point at a business dinner. The point is to build relationships and do business."

Develop your career skills

"Every company has its own culture, so it's best to learn the rules and work at fitting in," Williams said. "Research shows that most people are fired or leave a job not because they can't do the work, but because they have strained relations with co-workers or can't get along with people."

People will be observing you to see whether you're a quick study and how fast you can pick up on company expectations.

"One of the best ways to learn the ropes is to choose a mentor you respect and trust to show you ways to plot your career path in the company," Williams added.

Young people may hesitate to ask, but most people are flattered and welcome the opportunity to share what they've learned with younger workers, Littlefield said.

"Choose a person who exhibits good professional behavior and values in decision-making and is successful in the organization, and emulate him or her," she said.

During the first few months of a job, establish your credibility and responsibility as a worker and earn people's respect.

"A slow, steady effort is more important than a big splash, because you're building a track record," Littlefield said.

Do good work, Pachter said. "Do what you say you'll do, meet your deadlines, go the extra mile and help others. Who would you rather have working for you, someone who bolts out the door at 4:59 or someone who offers to stay and help you finish a project?

"Although you'll be concentrating on this first job and doing it well, it's not too early to think about your future."

She advises new grads to keep building their résumés by developing their capabilities and learning new things.

"Sign up for training programs and volunteer activities with co-workers. It's a great way to meet people and increase your visibility with an organization," she said. "Join company teams or clubs and start building your network by joining professional organizations outside of work."

One of the best ways to test-drive the working world is through summer jobs and internships that will give you an inside look at business environments before you graduate.

Another smart move is to use the resources of your campus career center.

"We're here to help students decide about majors and professions [and] learn résumé-writing, interviewing and job-search skills and to help seniors make a successful transition to work," Williams said.