The Art of Recalibrating: Blue Collar to White Collar Transitioning

It's 5 am. The roads are eerily lifeless; only the occasional headlamp-and-grille guard F150, emblazoned with some general contractor's signet, cuts through the blackness of the slumbering suburban landscape. I'm on my way to a new job, to a new beginning in many ways, and all the pre-workout energy supplements and bone broth protein shakes in the world can't lift the weight from my tired eyes. I've donned my least ill-fitting collared shirt and a smart pair of outdoorsman khakis, and my satchel bag is filled with notebooks and highlighters and pens that haven't been used since Adult Swim was good television. I arrive at my new office a deliberate 15mins before opening, oozing "overenthusiastic young professional" from every orifice.

And as I sit on the curb, watching the horizon slowly illuminate and waxing metaphorical about a rising sun of opportunities ahead of me, I hear a mechanical pop behind me.

Apparently sprinkler systems are not fond of metaphors. Or of new employees in dry clothing.

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In order to bring some perspective to my post, it should be noted that I've been working in a primarily blue-collar industry for several years now; specifically, animal care and medicine. It's a very emotionally rewarding field, and full of excitement and challenges with constant doses of physical activity. But with the exception of licensed veterinarians and business/practice owners, there isn't much opportunity for advancement. And thus, I chose to make the difficult decision of seeking a better opportunity in the business sector.

I knew the work style would be a drastic change: I'd become used to days involving subduing aggressive Great Danes, rushing geriatric Shih Tzus with laryngeal paralysis to the ER, and wrestling with Cane Corsos who only take their Phenobarbital after sufficient belly rubs have been administered. But when my first follow-up interview began discussing salaries, I was instantly on board. It's nigh-impossible for a young unmarried guy to turn down such a jump in income.

And so, with a desk and a title and a coffee machine and aforementioned soaking wet dress shirt - a rookie making all the rookie mistakes - day one felt like a swing and a miss, as did day two. And day three. But day four began the comeback. And day five didn't stand a chance.

Now that week one is in the bag and week two is up to bat, I thought I'd give my neophyte's wisdom out to anyone beginning (or soon to begin) in a new career. Because there's nothing worse than the owner of your company watching you flee an automated sprinkler while he parks.

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Rule #1: Don't get caught in the sprinklers.

Now this isn't a literal rule (although I'd highly recommend against sprinklers in any case), it's more intuitive. It boils down to a simple awareness and flexibility that you need to maintain while you're in a new environment. The proverbial sprinkler could be many things that catch you unawares: Perhaps it's a ticket for parking in a prohibited space, locking yourself out of the office by forgetting the keypad sequence, or spilling the coffee in an attempt to brew some early morning cups. You're going to make mistakes, that's part of learning any new skill. But the more embarrassing slip-ups and boneheaded rookie moves you're able to avoid, the better.

Rule #2: Make yourself an asset, even when you aren't

When you first begin at a new job - especially if it's in an unfamiliar field - you're going to be basically useless for some time. No one is going to trust you with high-level decision making or time-sensitive work, at least not for the time being. But that doesn't mean you can't contribute. Notice the tasks in the office that don't require any experience or training, and volunteer for them. It takes the small things off the plate of your co-workers, which is always appreciated.

Rule #3: Not everyone is going to like you

I'm a pretty amicable guy. I'm easy to talk to, averse to complaining, fond of a joke or two. I've always had great relationships with my coworkers in other fields. But I learned quickly that in the business world, being a good person doesn't translate to universal appeal. In fact, it might be quite the opposite. I heard a great bit of advice from my senior manager in the office: "When you're new, everyone sees you as a threat, especially if you're a good guy to boot". Now this doesn't mean you'll be hated by everyone, but it does mean that you shouldn't expect the entire company to welcome you with open arms.

Rule #4: Don't hide at your desk

One of the great things about the company I work for is its variety of employee types. We've got senior executive managers, office clerical types, skilled-trades practitioners, blue-collar warehouse guys, the whole shebang. Even our owner works from the office daily. And in a large company, it's easy to wall yourself off into your particular department. But when you go out of your way to build relationships, it can be a huge benefit to your future opportunities. If I hadn't been posing a specific question with our heavy machinery foreman, I wouldn't have learned he's the company owner's nephew, and thus wouldn't have subsequently been invited to lunch with the owner and his senior staff after the foreman introduced me.

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The blue collar to white collar transition has been a pretty seismic one to me, and I'm sure others have noticed a similar shock at the differences between the two vocational worlds. And even if my rules save only a single wide-eyed new kid from the sprinkler conundrum, then I'd say that's a success. Hopefully, these next few weeks and months will give me even more tips, but I'm not sitting on any more curbs at 5am, that's for damn sure.