THE UNWRITTEN RULES OF THE

AMERICAN WORKPLACE

Berkeley International Office

It’s Nice to Meet You! Name Level of Studies Major(s) Internship experience? What kind of internship/job are you

looking for?

Cultural Iceberg

Power Distance Distribution of power in a culture

Value of equality in a workplace U.S.: Lower Power Distance Team culture within hierarchy Interaction with supervisor/boss

How do you address him/her? How do you get things done?

Office Environment Meetings

Participate! Share opinions and ideas Verbal agreement vs. head nod

Teamwork vs. individual work Formal & informal office cultures

*Every office environment is different*

Time Management at Work “Time is Money” Some offices are fluid Expectations of punctuality Work Hours Work Life Balance

Socializing with Co-Workers Social Events

Birthday celebrations Staff appreciation gatherings Holiday parties

“Happy Hour” Alcohol and non-alcohol after-work activities

Coffee Breaks & Lunch Periods Small talk Work vs. Private Life Separation

Interacting with Co-Workers Personal Space When in doubt, always ask! Don’t

assume. Dating etiquette Refrigerator (kitchenette) etiquette

“If you did not buy, please do not try!” Clean up after yourself

Networking Develop positive working relationships

with colleagues Colleagues can serve as references Don’t “burn bridges” Professional development through

conferences

How Can I Prepare? Student Groups Interact with Classmates Develop leadership and teamwork skills Connect with faculty and staff

Student Panelists Dongmiao Cui

Senior Double Major: Economics & Applied Mathematics Previous Internship: Citigroup

Florian Hecht Studied PhD in Computer Science 2 Previous Internships at Pixar Current Job: Technical Director in Global Tech at Pixar

Yi Lu Senior Chemical Engineering Previous Internship: Bayer Healthcare