5 Career Don'ts and 1 Do I Learned From Watching The City

If you watch The City then you know, this is all about the fashionable NYC workforce. Predictably, drama runs the show, and after catching up on this season, it's clear these girls have a lot to learn in the way of business - fortunately their mistakes are ones we'll never have to make. Just click through for a brief lesson in what not to do at the office. I promise there's a few things we can stand to learn from the cast, and even one tip to take to our jobs. Turns out, it's not all about the fashion.

• Don't Forget: The Boss Is the Boss Is the Boss . . .
• The City Scoop: Kelly Cutrone likes to cultivate a kind of family environment while working with the girls. She's like the mama hen, keeping her staff in line and offering little tidbits of wisdom as Whitney develops her own fashion label.
  The Lesson: Despite the comfort level in her office - on the show and maybe, in your real life - at the end of the day, your boss is still the boss. To remind Roxy of just that Kelly threatened to fire her if she messed up a fashion show. Just remember: when it comes down to it, the boss has power you don't, and it's important to keep a professional, working relationship at all times. They may like you, but at the end of the day, all personal relationships aside, they're going to do what's best for the company.
• Don't Let Friendships Run the Workplace
• The City Scoop: Roxy and Whitney are pals at home and at work. They're practically joined at the hip, even when it comes to professional endeavors like Whitney's clothing line. Still, Kelly's warned a few times - though Whitney has yet to learn - Roxy may make a fun partner in crime, but a partner in business she ain't.
  The Lesson: If you find yourself working with a friend, you've got to change the rules up at work. Set boundaries to avoid becoming bosom buddies at the office. While you might make great pals on the home front, you could be sabotaging your chances of getting noticed if you help create the impression that you and your friend are a package deal.
• Don't Stop Working Once You Have the Job
• The City Scoop: We don't know exactly how Olivia Palermo landed the job at Elle, but I'm going to go out on limb and say it probably wasn't her professional experiences. That said, she got the job -only problem now is keeping it. On the past couple episodes of The City it seems Olivia's being edged out after a few failed assignments and it looks like she may soon be replaced by a new Elle.com TV host, Louise.
  The Lesson: Olivia seems to have forgotten that having a job is only half the battle - in this economy, especially - you've got to work to keep it. Just because you made a great first impression at the office, doesn't mean it stops there. Put in your hours, do the work, and don't get by just going through the motions. Eventually, your employer will notice and at that point, it may be too late.
• Don't Forget to Work Your Professional Relationships
• The City Scoop: Olivia has mastered the NYC social scene - she is a socialite, after all. However, at the office she continually butts heads with Erin and seems to blow off her co-workers' critiques, advice, and efforts to mend conflict. Somehow, Olivia's of the mind-set that what happens with Erin doesn't affect her, but they do work for the same magazine.
  The Lesson: I'm not saying you have to befriend the whole office, but you should work on your working relationships. Especially if you're tied to the same project or report to the same boss, what your co-worker has to say about your attitude and your work ethic does carry some weight, so you'll want to be on their good side.
• Don't Make Promises You Can't Keep
• The City Scoop: Olivia, thanks again to her socialite connections, promises Joe Z. she can score a backstage interview with Marc Jacobs following his show at Fashion Week. Unfortunately for Olivia, her plans to interview Marc fall through and she can't make the delivery as promised.
  The Lesson: Never make a promise you can't live up to. Joe hadn't even asked for the exclusive interview, but Olivia, likely in an effort to score some points with the boss, promised she'd come through. The thing is, when you don't deliver on something you set yourself up for, you look a lot worse. If anything, say you'll try, but don't raise expectations if it's a long shot. It's great to put yourself out there and work hard to go above and beyond the job, but know your limitations and what's realistic.
• Do Play to Your Strengths
• The City Scoop: We've watched Olivia episode after episode as she muddles her way through Elle. Still, despite all the criticism, she's got a big fan in Joe Z. and that counts for a lot.
  The Lesson: I'm not advocating that anyone adopt Olivia's lackadaisical work ethic, but she does have one very important thing going for her: she knows her talents and her strengths and she plays to them. Joe Z. admires Olivia for her taste and her ability to pick out accessories like nobody's business (remember her shining moment selecting a ring for Fergie's shoot?). The trick is to make yourself indispensable to your company - show off an asset you have that your co-workers might not. Own your talent and show your superiors how valuable you are because of it.