Copyright by Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
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Part 3 Succeeding on the Job
Good job skills combined with good human relations skills are
your ticket to success. A constructive attitude is important to your
relationships with coworkers and supervisors. It is also an important
element in career advancement. Gabriella would not have developed a
reputation as an outstanding worker if she had only focused on her job
skills. It was the combination of good job and human relations skills,
a constructive work attitude, and the influence of a role model that
assured her success.
Do a Little Extra
Take every opportunity to show initiative. Volunteer for challenging
tasks. Take initiative to do something to improve your department.
Gabriella took it upon herself to reorganize the filing system for her
video footage. The department head noticed that her new system made
it so much easier to find footage. He asked her to share her system with
the department. By sharing it with the department, she helped her
coworkers become more productive. She earned their respect and that of
her supervisor. At the same time, she increased her visibility and drew
positive attention to herself and her skills.
Know Your Company
Learn as much as you can about your company. Know the products
or services it offers and what each department does. Learn how your
company is structured. Who are the department heads? Who does the
hiring, firing, and promoting? Are people usually promoted from within
the company or brought in from outside when an opening develops?
Your chances to advance are greatest in a company that promotes from
within.
Know Your Field
Keep up with the latest developments in your field. Read trade
journals and magazines. Keep up with the latest news in the business
section of your local newspapers. We live in a society where change
takes place rapidly. Keeping up with trends, influential people, and
events in your field gives you food for conversation with people on the
job. Being aware of developments in your field is one way to let people
know that you are interested in moving up.
Join the professional organization in your field and be active.
Professional organizations often provide excellent trade journals and
continuing education opportunities. In addition to the educational value,
their meetings are good places to meet people and network.
professional
organization.
Organization or club
established to help
people be successful
in a profession or
career.
network. To make
connections with
people in the work
world.