Published: February 27, 2007 07:08 pm      

Mother and father know best

When you were a know-it-all in college, their advice went in one ear and out the other.



But now, as much as it may pain you to admit it, it's time to face facts: Mom and Dad were right.



Not about everything — come on, that guy with the motorcycle wasn't so bad. But when it comes to your work life, here are plenty of winners you probably ignored:



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WEAR CLEAN UNDERWEAR AND SOCKS



What was the biggest news this year involving World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz?



Inflation? Poverty? The impact of globalization?



Heck, no. It was when Wolfowitz took off his shoes at a mosque in Turkey and had two big toes sticking through holes in his gray socks. The tabloids went wild.



The man spent decades working his way up to such an influential post, makes more than $390,000 a year — and yet he will never live this one down. I won't even bother to rehash the Britney Spears going-commando fiasco. But she's rich enough to afford a trashy image — you aren't.



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STOP YELLING, GO TO YOUR ROOM



Mom and Dad were probably shouting as they said this, but they're right on the money: Words said in anger at the office never go away.



Just consider a day that comic Michael Richards had: He gets angry at a heckler, his tirade makes headlines around the world, his reputation is tainted forever. Don't go there.



Even if what you are saying is true — your boss IS A MORON WHO WILL BRING THE COMPANY DOWN — your anger is unacceptable because it rips apart the tenuous fabric of office life. You need to check yourself and find another way to get your point across.



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ALWAYS HAVE AN EMERGENCY FUND



When companies like Chrysler announce they are laying off 13,000 people, it doesn't matter how great an individual worker you are — you're toast, at least for the short term.



Even with a good layoff package, your next rent, food, and car payments alone will bleed you dry. Build up enough money to cover three months' rent, and resist the urge to use it when a great deal comes up on a Caribbean vacation. When you are drowning and you really need it, it will be a lifeline.



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DON'T BE LATE



News photographers know this rule better than anyone. If they are late, they have missed the shot and there's no going back. That's failure with a capital F.



Missing deadlines is a serious transgression in nearly every profession. It results in higher production costs, lost business and really, really bad first impressions. It might have been OK to slink in late to class in college, but at work, they can just dump your sorry self for someone else.



Build enough time into your day so you arrive 15 minutes early. That way you still have a chance even with traffic.



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WHO'S GONNA BAIL YOU OUT THIS TIME?



In their own belligerent way, Mom and Dad are talking about insurance. And let's be equally emphatic here:



• NEVER go without health insurance — it will just give companies a reason to deny you coverage later. Yes, the premiums are ridiculous if you are between jobs, so find a freelance group you can join for major medical. You may not be worried about making doctor visits; worry instead about being blindsided by a truck on a Tuesday afternoon.



• If you have a mortgage or children, you MUST get life insurance for both of you, even if one spouse is not working full-time. If that spouse died, you would need a full-time employee just to handle the childcare he or she is now providing for free. And with a house, you probably could not carry the mortgage on just one salary.



• Liability insurance is crucial so you can survive a car crash lawsuit. But if you drive a junker, why not drop your collision coverage and just keep whatever medical and liability insurance your state requires? The move might even improve your driving.



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WHAT'S YOUR RETIREMENT PACKAGE?



Hmmm, probably zip since every company in the world is now trying to ditch its pension plan. But your parents aren't wrong — since this generation will be funding more of its retirement than ever before, you must address this issue in your 20s, when the beauty of compounding kicks in. (This isn't exact math, but putting away $2,500 at 23 is like putting away a zillion dollars when you are 60. Approximately.)



If you are not covered by any retirement plan, put money away in an IRA fund, even if you only have a part-time job. That money will reduce the amount of taxes you have to pay.



If your company has a 401(k) plan, sign up the day you are eligible and put in the max, not just 5-6 percent. Otherwise, you are just going to hand most of that money to the government in higher taxes anyway. This way you will also earn whatever your company gives in matching funds.



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DON'T FORGET YOUR THANK-YOU NOTES!



Why do so many business grad schools feel they have to hold etiquette seminars? Because no one has any manners anymore. It's not about the right fork, it's about the right attitude.



Get some class: Thank interviewers even if you didn't get the job; thank mentors for writing recommendations; thank bosses for taking you to dinner or the training conference; thank support staff for getting you the research or the catering that you needed.



In the world of work, sadly, those who are gracious stand out.



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asap columnist Sheila Norman-Culp is on leave from her job as an AP supervisory editor.



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