A New Millennial in the Workforce Series: On Reputations

Our newest employee at CS3, Joshua Blaho, is a millennial new to the world of desk jobs, so we asked him to write a weekly blog series about his experience.

Week 2: The Importance of Reputation

As a part-time bartender, I have conversations with people on a deeper level. These conversations tend to be more intimate than you would expect to have
with a customer. As an office assistant, I stare at my computer for 90% of the workday. My day brightens when my phone rings. I think to myself, “YES human
interaction!” I'm easing into the idea that I can't have constant social interaction in my office the way I do as a bartender. I guess I miss the connection
and weird form of networking.

I have always been a social butterfly. Every time I go out with my friends, they make the same comment: “Who do you not know?” Tulsa is a big city with
little town vibes. I guess those vibes are expanding. I’m meeting new people every day through this job, and I realize the importance of keeping a respectable
and professional demeanor in this business.It would be easy to destroy a reputation, especially now that my social circle has expanded to include
a new professional industry.

With that said, I had to make quick and dramatic changes to my interactions with people, and that has translated into my life away from the office. Now,
I speak with my friends differently. This isn’t a bad thing because it’s making me notice what is posted on my Facebook or said at networking events. The
only places where I completely let go are online gaming or at live music events.

Reputation is like a credit score: it’s easy to mess up and takes time to build. I’m working on securing an even better score.