How Lulu provides perspective on your career

(Editor's note: This post was originally published on Levo League.)

Have you ever heard of Lulu?

It’s an app where women can rate men on a point-system on attributes like commitment, sex, ambition, humor, and manners. There are also hashtags at your disposal to further the rating, from everything like #AlwaysPays and #WatchesSunsets to #StillLovesHisEx and #FartMachine. All you need is a Facebook account, and you’re in.

The app uses your Facebook account to verify if you are, in fact, a woman. (Sorry fellas, this one is only for the ladies.) And if your guy friend or boyfriend is on Facebook, he’s automatically on the app, with or without a review.

Can you imagine if this existed for women? (Although I guarantee there are probably perturbed men out there who are working on a guy version of Lulu right now.) We would be furiously up-in-arms about the injustice of the app, shouting women’s lib from the rooftops and mandating the app’s demise. I remember seething during The Social Network as I watched Jesse Eisenberg’s Mark Zuckerberg create code that compared female classmates to each other in “FaceMash: Who’s Hotter.”

But, alas, ladies, this time it’s our doing. It’s our creation, and we may as well enjoy it for a little. But be warned: The app is addicting and not always the most accurate and honest. I have friends that have been rated unfairly and poorly, and scorned ex-lovers or ex-girlfriends may be to blame.

As I perused Lulu, I thought to myself: What if this app existed in the workplace? Like Lulu, what if you are rated on some of the same things like appearance and commitment, but also timeliness, integrity, and skill? What would be your rating? How would you fare in the hands of your bosses? Colleagues? Would you be rated fairly and accurately or do you have skeletons in your closet that would come out?

Well, just in case someone from Silicon Valley is creating that app right now, let’s review ourselves in the workplace:

Appearance Every workplace is different when it pertains to dress code and what to wear. You may work in a hospital or for a magazine or at a restaurant, and there are ways to dress professionally yet comfortably at each one. However, one thing reigns true no matter where you work: Don’t be sloppy or disheveled. The same people that don’t want to be operated on by someone that smells like yesterday’s happy hour don’t want to be served food by her either. Look presentable, and dress for the job you want and the job you have.

Commitment When you’re unhappy in a relationship, your entire mood and lifestyle shifts, and you find yourself making snarky remarks, not wanting to be around your partner, letting other relationships suffer, and just being downright miserable. Like a bad relationship, your boss can sniff out complacency and boredom and will either reprimand you or get rid of you. Don’t let it get to that point. Ask yourself how committed you are to the job and make sure you’re giving 100 percent every day. Stay motivated and show your boss that you are committed and care. And once that fire is gone, it may be time to look elsewhere.

Timeliness When I’m meeting friends for a drink or sitting at a restaurant on date night, nothing infuriates me more than when they’re late. As women, we are meticulous about our hair, perfume, and outfit, but there is a limit. More importantly, your boss isn’t your friend and she isn’t your boyfriend. She doesn’t care how many times you changed before work if you’re late. Make sure you look good for work, but make sure you look better at work…working. Sometimes the “I’ll stay longer to make up the work” doesn’t cut it. If you’re not timely, you’re not committed, and if you’re not committed, you’re replaceable.

Integrity You may find a man without integrity on the Lulu app (because it doesn’t exist on the rating system), but it’ll be difficult to keep a job without integrity in the real world. If your word is not your bond and you don’t see the value in being honest and having strong character, your life is going to be tough both personally and professionally. If you’re working for a company that participates in shady business practices, leave right now. The business will get caught, and you will suffer. If you participate in shady business practices, stop right now. You will get caught, and you will suffer. Every person has morals and convictions, but not every person stands for them and makes them a priority. Have integrity at your workplace (and your home), and your boss will notice. He will trust you with decision-making and respect your stand on moral ground.

#Career #Relationships #Sex