Que Pasa?
One of my work contacts answered the phone today by saying “What’s up girl?”
It was very casual.
I’m not upset about it. I talk to this person a lot, and generally, when you talk to a person on the phone once, twice, or three times a day, you’re going to ask, “what’s up?” or “what’s going on?” because you want to know… why did they call me… again… today?
But I am thinking about all the comments left on my In Terms of Ten post about my young age. I am thinking about how a lot of my coworkers and work contacts have children my age. I am thinking about how establishing myself and my credibility at work while only being 23… is difficult.
I’m naturally, let’s say, chatty. And friendly (most of the time). It’s hard for me to play the corporate b.s. mind games with people when I know I don’t have to. It’s hard for me to be stern and bitchy when I need to, because I just want to play nice and get along.
Yes, I know this is unrealistic, and I had a very good tactic conversation with my boss regarding this. And it helps immensely to know they have faith in me.
But remember how hard it was starting off?
Themocracy
Maybe we are more casual here in California, but that just seems like a normal greeting to me. One guy in my office invariably answers his phone with “Yo!” no matter who’s calling.
Maybe she meant it to express a friendly familiarity?
Ok, I’m not sure that I’m fully getting what your driving at on your post, but I’m thinking that the “what up, girl?” doesn’t have to do so much with your age but more to do with a “friendly familiarity” (as SJ perfectly put it). Like I’ve told you before, I’m the youngest in the department but its not something that is thrown in my face work wise. Yes, I get jokes about being “the baby” but I throw jokes back at the older folks, too. As long as I’m competent in my work, do a good job, act responsible, get along with everyone then age should never be a factor. I’m pretty sure your firm doesn’t care how old you are, just as long as the work is getting down with a good amount of professionalism, accuracy, and all that other good stuff. They knew how old you were when they hired you. The only person that is ever going to let age get in the way of your work — is you. And I say that as a friend.
I had to call a fellow student in one of my classes and he spent the entire phone conversation speaking like that – I barely understood him. Why do people act like that on the phone or email? I understand what you are getting at, but realize that it reflects on them not you. If you don’t sound like that, no one will think less of your professionalism – in fact it will just stand out more… so really they’re doing you a favor!
In my line of work people can’t do that because although the caller ID may appear as though it’s one of your coworkers, it’s often them forwarding an outside call to you. I made the mistake of answering my phone with, “What?” one day, thinking it was a close friend at work and it ended up being the CEO of a major corporation! People need to be careful.
Don’t worry about being too young, or acting too young, or being percieved as too young.
If — and I truly mean “if” — that ever happens among your collegues, there are 10 or 20 more who wish they were you. They admire youth. They are jealous of it. They would do almost anything to have it back again.
That being said, you don’t come of as young to me. I was genuinely shocked to read today that you are only 23! I don’t think of you as “old,” perhaps just more “mature and intelligent” than the average 23-year-old.
You wanna talk about a hard start? The day I started my first real job was the same day about 20 people there were “urged” into early retirement and others were outright canned. I just knew for my first two years there that I would be next. I lasted six years before I left of my own volition.
I feel like I need to do a bit of explaining! I was trying to be vague on this post, because it is about work, but I think it my concern makes more sense if I tell you this person is my general contractor on a construction job. He relays a lot of my orders and requests to his crew, and if he doesn’t respect me, his crew won’t either. And I am a bit worried about this because of some other hiccups in the job… things have been tense there lately. And I want to keep a good relationship, but also “lay down the law” 😉
SJ – You’re right – that is how he meant it, which is fine, because I talk to him on the phone every day! I just worry that if I let our conversations become too casual, it will diminish any respect… I just need to quit worrying!
Gina (Mannyed) – You’re right – I need to stop with this! I just worry that this person might have a problem with taking orders from someone at least 20 years his junior…
Kyra – Oh gosh, I hate it when a whole conversation is filled with slang that doesn’t even make any sense! And that is a good point – as long as I keep it professional, it shouldn’t matter!
Elaine – Oh no! That is such a good point!
ajooja – Thank you 🙂
kapgar – That is awful! I would never want to start under those circumstances! You are a trooper 🙂