"In Good Company" - Reel Life Lessons At Work (Part II)

In Good Company is a refreshing comedy, rallying against corporate treachery and mass globalisation. Behind the laughs, the Hollywood blockbuster carries some important lessons for the first days on your new job! First Impressions Why do actors get typecast? Keanu Reeves finds it easier to shake off a legion of demons than his Neo character in Constantine; Bruce Willis dies hard even as a doting father in Unbreakable; and Cameron Diaz by any other name is still as sweet. Because it saves the director some very precious screen time presenting a character to the audience. Need to portray a middle-aged advertising sales manager who has dedicated 20 years to the job? Dennis Quaid fits the bill perfectly. And one look at Topher Grace already prepares you for his hilarious rendition of a whiny and inexperienced marketing whiz kid. What first impressions do you create? People typically make up their minds about you two minutes after shaking your hand. That's 120 seconds. Or approximately the time it takes to dig your nose in public - which, incidentally, kills your image and is a huge no-no. Make the effort to wake earlier on your first day, arrive 10 minutes ahead of time, and dress sharper than usual. First impressions last, and you do not want to be remembered for the cabbage in between your teeth. After Work Fun Dan Foreman shows off some fancy moves when his advertising sales team takes to the court in the department basketball match. Determined to prove he is a winner, despite his considerable age, he inadvertently injures himself in the process. While we snigger at the pre-historic Dan, this episode shows how you, too, can score points outside the office. Many companies have formal or informal after-hour activities, ranging from football games to a couple of drinks at the nearest watering hole. These are excellent opportunities to bond with the new colleagues. Get involved, but do not overdo it. As in all things, moderation is the key. You do not want to end up with a cast on your arm, nor insanely inebriated after happy hour. Personal Business We see Dan taking his daughter Alex out for a game of tennis during office hours, which could be acceptable - or not, depending on company policy. But when Carter Duryea takes the abovementioned out for lunch, stares smitten at her photograph on his computer monitor, and starts a relationship with her, alarm bells go off. Studies reveal that most of us are guilty of sneaking in some amount of personal business on company time: Checking email, buying stuff online, instant messaging. The aim is to keep these private distractions to a minimum and stay focussed on work. Two more rules here. Number one: You do not start dating the daughter of the man whose job you are taking over. And number two: You do not violate rule number one. Such romances only serve to complicate matters and are advised against, especially on the first day of the job!