Everything you do is a test, whether you read all of this article; if you go to University or College; if you take a part-time or summer job; if you volunteer in your community; they are all tests, it is just that you don’t always realize that it is a test.
For every test, you need to be up to the challenge, to prepare, to work hard, and to prove yourself. When you embark on your career or a new job, you should want to justify your place in your company, to prove they did not make a mistake in hiring you or in keeping you. It is important though to do this without being overwhelmed or filled with anxiety.
If you find yourself wondering:
- What if I can’t do the job?
- What if I made the wrong choice and took the wrong job?
- What if I make too many mistakes or ask too many questions?
- What if I hate what I am doing?
Take comfort, know that if you feel that way, it’s okay. Every single person has or will feel that way, sometimes many times.
Taking a positive approach and facing the fact that everything you do: either helps you or doesn’t help you. It is liberating to know that you have control over that. Everyone is a self-made person but no one starts out being the very best. So remember, if you a struggling or questioning yourself in your job:
- Give yourself a break and allow yourself to be new and less than perfect at something,
- Try hard, ask lots of questions, and do your best,
- Learn from everyone, the good and the bad,
- And appreciate that failing is okay as long as you learn and improve.
This post is about helping you to not only keep a job, but to go far beyond simply surviving, and it’s to help you thrive in an area outside your normal comfort zone.
1. Your career and reputation are for you. You can start building your reputation with even the simplest task. It can begin in school and extend into your jobs: How you do your classwork; how your do your homework; the dedication you apply in a co-op work-term or in a summer or part-time job. Regardless of whatever job you do, do you best and dedicate yourself as if it was your career! Always take it seriously. What you start out doing may not be your career, but it is for your co-workers, your employer. Ignoring this simple truth will lead to resentment from those people and makes it much more difficult for them and ironically, for you.
2. If you are in High School, sign up for least one co-op semester. The experience will give you a competitive edge and employers like to see that type of experience. Also, make sure you ask for a “letter of reference” after successfully taking any co-op work-term.
3. Realize and appreciate that you are being watched. Always work as if your supervisor is standing behind you. All of you will remember times in school when your instructor left the room, which students kept working and which students stopped. In a career, the people who can work without supervisor will have a better career than those who cannot be trusted. This is true, regardless of whichever point you are at in your career.
4. The amount of money that you will earn in your career is inversely proportional to the amount of supervision you require. The more you need to be watched the less you will earn.
5. Most people will go out of their way to help you, if you let them – When a co-worker offers to help you, listen and pay attention, even if you might already know what they are going to say. Be grateful, the next time they may tell you something important that will be helpful or useful; however, if previously you said you already knew what they wanted to help you with, you will make them feel like they were wasting their time and you might not get a second offer of help.
Remember most people will try to help you when you are new, it makes them feel good. Good organizations encourage experienced associates to help new people, it helps to avoid mistakes, and it helps to build a culture of teamwork.
6. Be reliable – Being on time means ready to start work a minimum of 10 minutes before your shift begins. Many employers and associates will tell you; reliability is the most important thing in a job – the work needs to get done whether you are there or not. If you show up later or don’t show up, then other people have to carry the load.
7. When you are at work – WORK. Many people watch the clock, check the internet during working hours, constantly have their cell phones on. These same people in 10 years will complain that everyone who has gone further than them was lucky. A good mantra is to ask yourself. “Is what I am doing adding value to the company?
8. Never think any job is beneath you, do the job and then ask for more; it is quite likely a test. Develop your reputation as a person who can handle everything and anything quickly and efficiently, that is how you become invaluable.
9. Never say that: “I don’t get paid enough for …” or “that’s not my job” or “why should I do that, no one else is” or “no one appreciates the extra work I do”. Many times, in your career you will hear people complaining like this, it does not help their reputation and it will not help yours.
10. Always walk with purpose, like you are on a mission. Don’t walk around with your hands in your pockets. Always be busy, show initiative – sweep the floor if necessary. One of my favorite former associates, always said “if you have time to lean, you have time to clean.”
11. Only use your cell phone or personal devices during breaks and at lunch, otherwise it should be OFF and tucked away. If someone needs to contact you in an emergency, then they will call the company phone number.
12. Watch what you email to other people. Avoid anything other than “business related” emails. Emails are a one-way conversation that just feels like person to person, it never conveys tone and can be misinterpreted by almost anyone. Always proofread emails before sending. Always be aware of who is included in the “email chain” and when you select “reply all.”
13. Avoid bragging about anything else you did in a past job. HUMILITY – is a great trait to learn, confidence tempered by humility will make you invaluable and respected.
14. Try to be the most positive and enthusiastic person you know. A person, even a quiet person, who can bring energy into a business environment, will go further than the person who constantly needs “to have their tires pumped up.”
15. Volunteer to go first. Whenever someone needs a volunteer or if a teacher, instructor, professor, or employer asks a question, be the first person who put up their hand.
16. Start each day the night before. Make, don’t buy your lunch, you will eat better and save money. Prepare what are you going to wear and make a list of what you want to accomplish. These are small examples of things you can prepare that will separate you from everyone else.
17. Get up early, shower, eat breakfast. People who are prepared are more relaxed and better able to adapt and adjust to the realities of daily work.
18. Learn from everyone. Learn to maximize the return on any kind of luck. Make notes for yourself to help with things you find difficult. Participate in “company events” even if it is not expected, especially when you are just new to the company.
Everyone can teach you something, keep your eyes open, listen and learn what people do well, and what things to do and what things not to do.
19. When faced with a decision – Try to follow these simple actions: What are all the facts? What are the alternatives? Make the best decision you can and take action. This process might take 30 minutes or it might take 30 seconds, use the time you have to the best decisions you can.
Then, review and self-correct – Know that no one is perfect and you are going to make mistakes! After making a decision, always ask: What did I do right? What did I do wrong? What would I do different next time?
20. Mistakes are not fatal and you will make lots of them. Most of us will rarely do things right the first time – expect that and learn from it. Watch a small child trying to learn to walk, they never give up; then watch an adult trying to learn, if they can’t do something well the first time, many simply give up because they have been conditioned by life, UN-LEARN that conditioning, keep trying to until you get it!
21. Look sharper than everyone else. Always ensure your clothes are clean, always shower, because whether it is fair or not, people judge you within 5 seconds of seeing you. If you can’t take care of your appearance then an employer is going to ask, “how can I trust you to take care of my business and/or products or customers?”
22. Say “Thank you” a lot. The power of those two little words is absolutely incredible, as an exercise try to say “thank you” at least 25 times a day and you will be amazed that the effect it has on how people treat you.
23. Try to make 3 people feel better about themselves each day. It might be a person in your family, your co-workers, or a complete stranger. Do this by being interested in other people and noticing. It must be sincere to work and just like saying “thank you”, you will be amazed at the results.
24. Read or listen to one article every month on upgrading your skills (internet, regular books, audio books, podcast, blog, magazine, etc.). By doing more and actually using what you have learned gives you a huge competitive advantage.
25. Avoid negative and pessimistic people. Stay away from people who gossip or are always complaining; if there is something wrong, talk to someone who can do something about it rather than just complaining to someone who can’t fix the problem.
26. Ask questions, lots of questions, and be present during the answer. Especially be careful of your body language. Be an “active listener”, use body language, facial expressions, and wait until the person is finished before adding your comments. Also, when talking to anyone, stop what you are doing and give them your full attention.
27. It is okay to be nervous and you will make mistakes. If you make a mistake, admit it and never try to hide it. You can’t be so worried about making a mistake, that you end up making more mistakes.
28. Learn how to fail without feeling like a failure. Allow yourself to be human, no one is ever perfect right out the box, learning a job will take time and lots of practice.
29. Remember what it is like to be a new associate, remember when people helped you and then pay them back by helping other new people.
30. Remember that just because you are new, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t express your opinion when asked – no company has a monopoly on good ideas, and every company should always be looking for new, and better ways of doing things.
Everything is up to you – If you want more, what are you going to do about it? Some people will help you, some won’t, others will wait to see what you are prepared to give before taking a chance. This isn’t meant to scare you; it is simply the way things are – that’s why you need to stand out from the crowd.
One more point …
When it comes time to quit a job, please keep these points in mind:
- Have another job to go to if possible.
- Don’t “burn any bridges,” make sure that you leave on good terms if you can.
- Don’t worry that you will be letting your employer down. This is a very common feeling, especially for new people to the workforce. Your employer will understand, especially if you have been a good associate. You will be nervous, but it is simply a part of doing business. Always try to give at least 2 weeks’ notice.
Paul.