Written by Amanda Barrell
Punctuality is not a skill you should be listing on your
resume. It’s common courtesy. And as a young professional, you should be
well acquainted with getting to work on time.
Even if you’re only working part-time a few hours a week, or
volunteering, getting to work on time shows that you’re responsible, reliable
and ready to work on whatever the day brings.
We’ve all seen them, that person who waltzes in to work at
8:47 sporting dark sunglasses, bag in one hand, grande soy latte in the other. They drop their things unceremoniously at
their desk before heading to the lunchroom to gab with the intern for 10
minutes. Meanwhile, you’ve been at your
desk slaving away for an hour.
Imagine how disrespected you’d feel.
Regardless of what your evening activities were the night
before, make a point of allowing yourself however much time you need to get
ready in the morning. Of course there’s
no accounting for last-minute family emergencies or out-of-the-blue car trouble,
but hopefully not every weekday morning is like that for you.
As a baseline, time yourself getting ready in the morning with no stress.
Make sure to include factors like how many times you hit the “Snooze”
button; shower time; choosing your outfit and dressing; hair/makeup/shaving;
eating breakfast and your commute, whether it’s catching the bus or driving in
rush-hour morning traffic. Then add 15 minutes for a good buffer.
If you’re going to be late, go ahead and give your boss (or
one of your coworkers) a heads-up via text or a quick phone call to let them
know you’ll be late. Your supervisor
will appreciate the forewarning. Just
don’t make it a habit.
Getting to work on time also involves your lunch break. We know you love to catch up with your BFF
Katie or your buddy Jim in town from Oakland, but when your meal creeps past an
hour, there’s a higher chance you will be inconveniencing your coworkers at the
office. When possible, let your
supervisor know if and when you’ll be taking a longer lunch break. If you are in a position where you need desk
coverage, make sure to arrange this with one of your coworkers ahead of time so
that there is no disruption in service.
By keeping all of these things in mind, and by making a
conscious effort to be punctual to work every day, you will demonstrate your
professionalism and others (your boss included) will see they can count on you
to be a responsible, respectful member of the team.
What tips do you use to get to work on time?