Copyright by Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
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Part 3 Succeeding on the Job
you stay in a job long enough, some unforeseen changes are sure to happen.
Companies are bought and sold. Managers and coworkers come and go.
Your duties change. New company policies go into effect.
Your first reaction to changes at work may be negative. You might not
like a new boss or a new assignment. However, you can learn to accept
change and remain positive. Focus on what you can learn. Be honest if
something is bothering you, and talk to your supervisor about it. Every
new situation can be a learning experience if you are open to learning.
What you might learn is how to adapt to something you don’t like. Adopt
the attitude that every change presents a new opportunity to grow.
6. Educate Yourself
It’s tough to be positive if you are having trouble doing your job.
Education is the key to being confident about your abilities. You can take
courses to keep up with your field. You can read articles and new books
by experts in the field. Mardryka pursued her education in both ways,
by taking in-service training and by reading nursing journals.
Education is necessary for advancement in many careers. Even if that
is not the case, education is never wasted. Be a lifelong learner. The more
you learn, the more confident you will be.
7. Maintain Your Interest
In the first months on a job, you are learning new things.
The excitement and challenge keep you interested, and your attitude is
positive.
As time goes on, you might begin to feel bored. You might feel that
you are not being challenged, or that the work is not as much fun as you
expected. If this happens, look for ways to regain the interest you once
felt. Analyze your job duties. Look for areas where you can take more
initiative. Come up with new ideas for doing routine tasks.
Supervisors count on workers with initiative and enthusiasm to
show new employees the ropes. If Latoya were looking for an employee
to train a newly hired aide, would she ask Mardryka or Eileen? Eileen
may be the senior aide, but she no longer has any enthusiasm for her
job. Her negative attitude affects her relationships with the patients,
supervisors, and other aides.
8. Maintain a Sense of Humor
Humor can help your outlook on almost anything. Taking yourself
and others too seriously will not solve problems. It may cause you to
dwell on mistakes or focus on the negative side of situations that cannot
be changed. Having a sense of humor does not mean joking or clowning
around. Having a sense of humor means developing the ability to see
opportunity. Chance
for success.