Honestly, it’s weird. It feels like every day I am at work I have to put on a mask, and cosplay as a professional in my field. Someone once described themselves as feeling like they are acting all the time in work. I wrote a post a few weeks earlier about ‘Not being your authentic self in work’, unless your authentic self is what’s expected of a professional in your field. So, yeah what is working life like as an adult? (since education clearly didn’t try to warn us)

The rules of professionalism

I couldn’t tell you all of them, because I’m sure I am still learning them. But a big key one for me, is that ‘Everything needs to be a benefit to the business’. I know our managers want to tell us they care about us as people, and that the business does (which is true in a sense, the company can’t survive without the individuals, so they do care). But just because the company relies on the individuals, it doesn’t mean we can try to get a lot out of it in return, without it getting the bigger benefit.

For example, I am still figuring out what I want in my career. I have 0 clue what I want to do. But for me to experience other areas in my company, I need to provide a business justification, as to ow the company would benefit (and maybe even my current team) from me getting the opportunity to experience something different. Bearing in mind, I’ve only been in the company 5 years, I can’t say I know it well enough to be able to know how me having a little more colourful career right now, would benefit the business.

I look professional in my day job, but I be feeling like this all the time 🤣

In these rules of professionalism, I have to make sure I come across as a very dedicated employee to the company. And it feels like I have to sound like I live and breathe the company (which some people do, but defo not me).

The game

In my experience, I have heard a lot of people say “Unfortunately, we’ve got to play the game”. And annoyingly enough the game rules, are the rules of professionalism (above). The are 3 parts to the game, and they are key parts throughout the whole game in your career.

Be connected

It’s true in a lot of cases, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. And building a network takes time. It’s not just people knowing your name. if they have had the chance to work with you, then they know your expertise. They might also know areas where you will fit better than your currently place. But to stay connected you have to maintain that network.

Establishing that network

Also they are little game pieces, how poetic with this being in ‘The Game’ section'

Keep in touch, not often, but occasionally. As professionals you might interface at similar conferences and events. Also keeping a log of who you know and why, is very handy. I have a list of these people, and when I have a question that I can’t answer, I am able to look at that list and see if there is someone on that list who either might know the answer, or know someone who can answer it.

Be tactical

Working in the corporate world involves a lot of ego stroking. It’s so annoying, when you meet people who are clearly senior to you, and even though they might not come across nice, or decent, you have to play the game still. So, stroke their egos and know when and how to speak up. It’s pretty annoying how fragile some egos are, but it’s not worth getting a reputation that would make the game harder for you to play.

In some cases it might be better to keep quiet, and keep the peace, just to make it more bearable. It might not feel nearable in the moment, but you will know the benefit of keeping the peace. Again annoying, since some people clearly made it far in life, by not keeping the peace, but it normally turns out, they were well connected. And as someone who is still young and establishing connections, keeping the peace is a more suitable way to play the game.

Be resourceful

Keep upskilling, no matter how small the upskill is. It’s better to seem multifaceted and useful in multiple places (and knowing and showcasing that), than being a 1 trick pony. The current state of the world means places want to be more lean, more efficient, and doing more work with less people, money and maybe even less time. So be resourceful and expose yourself to different and new things, because you never know when it will become useful.

Also, you need to know what value you bring to the company and others. Again, with the ego stroking, showcase how you can be valuable to the company, people anything at this point.

The game is really annoying, but because the system is built on it, we have to play it. But you can choose to what level you’re willing to play to. Some people want to go as far as possible, and hopefully they might make changes in the future. But the game is so heavily engrained, I don’t think the changes are as easy as they think it will be once they get up there. I’m happy playing the game to the most efficient level, where I can still have a life outside of work to dedicate time to my hobbies, like the blog, and still earn enough to survive.

The day-to-day experience

As much as I complain about my 9-5 life, and my job generally. It’s not that bad, for me. The alternative is not being employed or being self-employed. Now I know I don’t have the drive to be self-employed right now, nor an idea on what it would be, so it doesn’t interest me. But the 9-5 life is not as bad as social media can make it out to be. To choose the CEO life or 9-5 life, for now I’m still of the mind that I am happy to settle here. But I think I can do a comparison post about this since I am a 9-5er and I have a sibling in the CEO life 😏. (we’ll see)

In 9-5 life, there are plenty of moments that I don’t want to experience, but it comes with the job. At the end of day, the chance to make new friends who we trauma bond with on the job, the memories made in each job that we learn in and having 40 hours a week being prescheduled every week, is quite fun. I have made so many genuine friends through being in work. They literally graduated out of “work friend” to “actual friend”, and I am so grateful I have had the opportunities I have experienced so far.

The current purpose my career has given me, is creating funny t-shirts

Let me know if you want one!

There is a comfort that comes with knowing a lot of the instability that comes with being self-employed, is already covered by the company who employs you. You just have to turn up, cosplay a few hours a day, stroke some egos and keep some of the peace, and then you’re done. It’s not great when you think about the purpose and greater meaning of life, because these companies take that out of you. But my purpose and greater meaning has no connection to my career. What I achieve in my career, is just for the money which I will use to pursue the purpose and meaning. I am happy for the people who find their life meaning and purpose in a career, but quite frankly mine lies outside of those 40 hours a week. And that is something I have learnt about myself, by being a working adult.

TL;DR

- It does feel like I am cosplaying a professional every time I am at work

- A rule of professionalism – you have to sound like you live and breathe the company, sometimes

- Unfortunately, you’ve got to play the game

· Be Connected

· Be tactical

· Be resourceful

- The 9-5 life is not that bad, if you don’t mind cosplay a few hours a day, stroke some egos and keep some of the peace.

- Your career does not need to be the thing that gives you greater meaning and purpose in life. Sometimes the career helps pay for you to achieve/find you greater meaning or purpose.

What is working life like as an adult