Elliott from Stacey Dooley's Nine to Five has been wondering: does having a job really mean you have to be a boring person who wears boring clothes? Spoiler: it doesn't!
"I was always worried that I would end up being a boring person in a boring office, in a boring outfit. I just wanted to be me."
I'm Elliot. I'm 16, I'm from London and I'm fabulous.
"Hello, how are you today?"
Standing out, being crazy and fun is who I am and I love it.
"I feel like Lady Gaga."
"Thirty-four." "WOO!"
SIGHS
These are my top tips of shaping your individuality in the workplace.
"Good afternoon, thank you for calling.""You're speaking with Elliot."
I was always worried when I was going to get a job that I would end up being a boring person in a boring office in a boring outfit. I just wanted to be me!
"This isn't really a thing I would do because I like making loads of noise, wearing funky outfits…"
"Yeah. Well what I would say is, we would be looking for your personality to shine through.
What you wear is important obviously, but remember, you're not representing yourself, you're representing somebody else's brand.
"Elliot, I cannot accept you like this in the kitchen."
"He's making me iron the T-shirt, take the top-knot out of my apron.
It's so everyone can see you, you want to feel the part.
"Onwards and upwards.
Entering the world of work experience for the first time, I realised, it's not always about me… Shock!
"I'm really getting hot now."
"Mersadi, stop bringing them in. It's really not fair, you're all adding and adding and adding."
"I'm getting a headache from all of this now."
"Industry is a serious place, it's not a playground. I feel that you've let us down, but more importantly I think you've let yourselves down."
Have a personality but don't let your personality take over. Remember, you're there to work.
"Coming here - dancing, singing. I'm hoping that I can just like do this all day."
"Is pink your best colour?" "Yes."
"It is? "Yes."
"Very girly, isn't it?"
Know your strengths and make them work for you.
My strengths are chattiness, and I'm outgoing, so I use them as skills at work.
"What have you got planned in London?" "What do you think we should do?" "Selfridges or Harrods, definitely." "We went to Selfridges." "Go to Harrods." "OK. Yeah. Harrods this time." "You're treated like royalty there." "Yeah."
You don't have to change who you are, be a professional version of yourself.
"Hi. Welcome back." "Perfect!"
I call this shaping your individuality.
Elliott's top tips:
- Remember you're there to represent the company you work for - it's not all about you and your fashion sense!
- But employers will also want your personality to shine through, as that can enhance your work. So be yourself, but a professional version of yourself
- Use your personality traits to your advantage. If you're chatty and approachable, you could be perfect for working with the public. What is it that makes you you, and how can you use that quality at work?
- Bonus tip: when you start a new job, familiarise yourself with its work place rules. Is there anything you're not allowed to wear? Or anything you must wear, for example for health and safety reasons? These are unlikely to be negotiable, so make sure you're in the know
Leadership at work
Can you really be a leader if you've only just started out at work?
Watch The Nine to Five with Stacey Dooley on iPlayer
Five teens, five industries. Will they Will they thrive or struggle?
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Stacey Dooley explains how communication skills are about more than words
