How to Pretend to be Indoctrinated Enough for Corporate Jobs
5 Ways to Not Rock the Boat, And Stay Human at Work
You all keep sending me this post. I even shared it on my Instagram story because I was obsessed.
I usually call this kind of indoctrination “conditioning” or Corporate Pick-Me behavior. So I wanted to share a few ways I started spotting the methods of indoctrination when I was still working corporate; and how I learned to find my own balance with it.
Obviously, I’m very outspoken about the indoctrination, but being 100% anti-everything doesn’t always work in practice.
We need practical advice to help people still survive and thrive in corporate, especially if you're not in a place to leave.
Here are some tips for you:
1. Speak Their Language (But You Don’t Have to Believe It)
Use corporate buzzwords like:
“I’m passionate about cross-functional collaboration.”
“I thrive in fast-paced environments.”
“I’m always looking for ways to add value.”
These are dog whistles for: I won’t question your authority and I know how to play the game.
2. Display Just Enough Obedience
Say things like:
“I’m really looking forward to growing within this team.”
“I admire the company’s mission and values.”
You don’t have to mean it. You just need to signal that you are a culture fit.
This one was the hardest for me because I was factually not a corporate fit. This one often felt too much like inauthentic and lying. This left me to leave and continue to do my own thing on social media.
3. Feigned Enthusiasm ≠ Real Enthusiasm
Smiling and nodding during meetings can go a long way!
You can even react to bad ideas like they’re brilliant (“Oh, interesting! I hadn’t thought of it like that!”)
This makes people feel validated, which protects you. Do you really need to be honest? No, most people aren’t looking for feedback and are looking to be validated instead.
4. Hide Your Real Goals
If your real plan is to:
Get a paycheck and keep it moving,
Work on your side hustle in the background,
Or chill in a lazy girl job for mental health...
Then don’t say that in interviews. Say:
“I’m looking for long-term opportunities where I can grow and make an impact.”
You’re not necessarily lying. You just didn’t say where you want to grow or what kind of impact. I did this one all the time.
5. Choose Safe Rebellion
Set boundaries quietly (e.g., block calendar time for deep work)
Use AI to autopilot your job (so you have time for life)
Clock out at 5, but schedule emails to send at 5:15
You look like a team player, but you're just smart.
This was a slightly sad post. Sad topics bring sad posts!
I think the conformity that’s required in some workplaces is inhumane. I think it erodes us of all our individualism and human-ness.
Work should not be the epicenter of our life. We should be able to have more time to be ourselves in real life outside of work. Although, a ton of us spend most of our waking hours at work.
So how do we balance being ourselves and also staying professional and not rocking the boat too much?
This goal of this post was to address this question ^
Agreed this was a slightly sad post, although if you have number 4 sorted then it needn't be. Have the hiddens goals clear in your head and then the pretending is easier. Maybe that's just my justification for staying in corporate for 25 years!