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This is my first big girl job at a really famous company in my country. I have never worked closely with men as my team was always with women. This will be my first experience with a male manager and male team.
Any advice on tips for the office? Or what I should expect in the office? Do's and don'ts for this new environment? Things I shouldn't do as a working women.
Congratulations!!
Be professional and grey rock any conversation that has nothing to do with work. Decide how much personal information you're willing to disclose to your coworkers if at all. For small talk, go for about light topics (the coffee you drank, cat video you watched) and don't share specifics about your life (this is my fav restaurant, I go to this gym) because it could be seen as an invitation.
In my country, it's common for males to ask women to prepare tea or coffee. Refuse demeaning requests like that every single time. I find being assertive and confident deterred most mansplainers and creeps.
Be careful not to become the "office mom" by accident (it's often a slippery slope because you want to appear friendly at the beginning and may have trouble saying no):
no making coffee/tea for everyone
if it's customary to bring something to eat for your first day of work, don't bring anything too nice. If you bring amazing cake once, they will expect you to do that all the time.
no setting up the meeting room (with coffee, cookies, whatever) and cleaning up afterwards
don't become the go-to person to organize birthday/retirement gifts and cards for everyone, in fact: don't become the go-to person to organize anything that is not an official work event within your job description (so also no potlucks, holiday parties, after-work drinks etc.)
don't run personal errands for anyone (like buying or wrapping birthday gifts for the boss' spouse or kids...)
don't become the person male colleagues go to to vent, cry about their lifes etc., in fact: get out of personal conversations with men ASAP and don't share intimate details of you life. Especially if the men start to complain about their wives/families to you
. Seeming close with a male coworker (especially a married one) will always cause gossip and it will reflect badly on you, not him.
Other than that:
be prepared to have to work twice as hard for half of the recognition and to speak up and use your elbows, if necessary. Your male coworkers will, too.
don't assume that other women are automatically your allies. They will look out for themselves first, especially if there are very few women working there