Pothole Prairie by Tim Engstrom

Get rid of the chewing gum.

The company party is not a party.

Look on the bright side.

Don’t take rejection personally.

You are the product; market yourself.

The Minnesota Newspaper Association funds high school interns at newspapers across Minnesota with a grant from the Pohlad Foundation. For the second year in a row, Erin Murtaugh — the eldest daughter of the late, great Geri Murtaugh, who worked at the Tribune for 24 years  — is a Pohlad intern here at the Tribune office. The class of 2014 graduate of Albert Lea High School plans to attend Arizona State University.

I recall the times when Erin and her sister, Tierney, watched cartoons in the morning at the Tribune while Geri would get some work done before school started. Or when they would be here after school sometimes, too. Or when they would watch my 7-year-old son Forrest when he was a baby. Or when Erin was pedaling around her neighborhood on a bike. It’s hard to believe she is all grown up.

The Tribune office always has been kid-friendly. Well, actually, it’s kind of boring for kids here. I suppose I mean to say the Tribune office is parent-friendly in that moms and dads can bring their children to the workplace for brief stints, usually during those awkward gaps of time before or after school.

The Minnesota Newspaper Association this year sent a book to each of the Pohlad interns statewide. It was “101 Tips for Graduates” by Susan Morem. I thought before I handed it over to Erin, sharing a few of the tips would be enjoyable, especially for folks who have spent careers piloting a desk. Each of these, of course, comes with a wider explanation, but I will share the tip.

Get a makeover. Student fashion is “out” in the office.

First impressions create lasting impressions.

There’s nothing more disruptive than being interrupted.

Neatness counts; get organized and stay organized.

Under-promise and over-deliver.

Turn off your cellphone.

Drop the um and ah; ya know what I mean?

Say what you mean and mean what you say.

Expand your vocabulary.

Let’s expound on this one. I cherish expanding my vocabulary. I once had a boss who disliked my use of the word “pithy.” I had used it only because I learned the term from a prior boss. The boss who disliked my use of it probably uses the term now. It’s no big deal now. We reflect on the salad days with fondness, right?

Morem writes: “Have you ever stalled for time as you struggled to express a thought or search for the right words to use? Have you ever had trouble understanding the words you heard others use? The ability to articulate a thought and communicate it clearly is important to every aspect of your life. Ineffective communication leads to breakdowns in communication, misunderstandings and costly errors. Communication skills are critical to your professional success.

“The depth and breadth of your vocabulary influences your ability to communicate effectively. Most successful professionals possess advanced vocabulary skills, yet most recent graduates haven’t actively attempted to improve their vocabularies since high school, according to Greg Ragland, vice president of marketing for The Executive Vocabulary Program.

“In his workshops, Ragland encourages attendees to reactivate their interest and awareness of new words. He recommends keeping a vocabulary journal, writing down new words and how they are used whenever you hear them. This will help you understand the context in which they are used at work. You will benefit by understanding and using the same words your colleagues use.

“Don’t try to impress people by using big words you can’t pronounce or don’t understand; you don’t want to appear as though you don’t know what you’re talking about or sound unnatural. When you expand your vocabulary, you expand your knowledge. Pay attention to new words you read and new words you hear. People judge you by the words you use. Build your vocabulary and build your confidence, one word at a time.”

Here are more tips:

Do the work you love and love the work you do.

Be yourself; you are enough.

Work hard. Play hard.

This is a good one, too. What Morem explains is everyone needs time away from work to have a life. She’s not saying play hard in the sense of party hardy. She is saying join a club, start a project or find a hobby. Make friends. Don’t take life too seriously.

Put people first.

Stop talking.

Mind your manners.

When you hear, you need to listen.

Lead by example.

Be a lifelong learner.

By the way, I hate those new graduates who think they learned all they need to know in college and suddenly they think they can run your workplace. Oh, wait, did I just say that out loud? Oops.

Just kidding. Honestly, I haven’t encountered that kind of college grad in a long, long time. The crew we have right now at the Albert Lea Tribune is absolutely fantastic. Ask anyone. It’s a great place to work.

OK, Erin, you can have your book back now.

 

Tribune Editor Tim Engstrom’s column appears every Tuesday.