Get That Job!
So You Got the Job, Now What?

HE-771, New Dec 1998. Adapted for use in Alabama by Carol Centrallo,Extension Apparel and Textile Management Specialist, Assistant Professor, Consumer Affairs, Auburn University

Pay attention to quality. Check your work often to be sure it is right.

Finish work on time! Meet scheduled deadlines or finish early.

Be able to get the job done without constant supervision. This means you should show a little independence and you should not constantly bother your supervisor with questions regarding how to do something. To avoid this, it is important to learn to read manuals and to look up things on your own. If you can't find the information you need, go to your coworkers. Ask your supervisor for help if you are still confused.

Be prepared to handle problems. Don't take criticism personally. Listen carefully to the suggestions that have been made to improve your work quality, then make the needed changes. Remember, it is your work that is being criticized not you.

Keep your feelings under control. All of us may lose our patience occasionally, but it's important to stay in control. Don't become nervous, cry, hit, or lose your temper.

Check to see what you have learned about keeping a job. Answer the following questions:

Roger works at a clothing store, but he hates to take inventory. He rarely finishes inventory on time. When he's involved in inventory, he seems to take his frustration out on the customers and he loses his patience easily. What can Roger do to be a better employee?

Betty constantly asks her boss how something should be done or what needs to be done. She has been working for four months. How can Betty change to become more independent and take more responsibility?

Jason takes careful notes when his supervisor talks to him about the areas in his performance that need improvement. He never makes direct eye contact. Jason doesn't interrupt, and he never says a word. Before submitting new work, he refers to his notes to avoid making the same mistake twice. He checks his work carefully before handing it in on time. If Jason is ever fired, what will probably be the cause? How can Jason become more confident?

Control stress. Another skill that will help you keep a job and do it well is to control stress. Job burnout is something all of us need to try to avoid, if possible. Job burnout involves too much stress over a period of time and it usually occurs following a loss of enthusiasm and drive. The newness you once felt about your job may have fizzled out. Stress levels will increase, so learn ways to handle them so you will stay productive. Check your stress levels on a regular basis so you can stop burnout before it begins.

Signs of job-related stress and burnout:

• Not wanting to go to work
• Feeling a sense of failure
• Having anger and resentment
• Feeling guilty and blameful
• Feeling discouraged
• Having a negative attitude
• Isolating yourself from others
• Feeling tired and exhausted all day
• Watching the clock frequently
• Postponing contact with others
• Stereotyping others
• Not having the ability to concentrate
• Feeling trapped
• Having problems sleeping
• Suffering frequent headaches or stomachaches
• Resisting change
• Worrying unnecessarily
• Having conflict with family and coworkers
• Being absent a lot
• Using alcohol or drugs to cope

Causes of work-related stress:

• Work overload
• Threats to job security
• Time pressures and deadlines
• Not enough to do
• Boredom
• Dead-end job
• Lack of enough rest

Being aware of the stress around you can help you deal with problems in a realistic way. The first step in treating a case of burnout is to communicate to your supervisor or boss about how you feel and why. It may be helpful to try to renew some of the drive and energy you once had. This can be done by looking for new ideas, thinking about changes that will make you more productive, and learning new things as often as possible. The boredom you feel will lessen, and you will feel better about your job and yourself. Then you are ready to work hard again.

Prevention of stress will decrease the possibility of burnout occurring in the first place. It is important to take care of yourself.

Ways to overcome stress include the following:

• Get enough sleep.
• Exercise regularly and eat right.
• Take regular vacations.
• Be realistic about your worries. If you cannot do anything about a problem, let it go!
• Organize your life. Clean up yourself, your house, your car, and your work area.
• Take a 10-minute break from routine work every hour. Do chores that require less concentration.
• Talk to others about how you feel. They may have the same problems.
• Restore your faith and focus on the good things that are happening to you.

If you try your best in everything you do, your work will show it. Keep in mind the six biggest turn-ons at work--pride, participation, teamwork, self-respect, learning, and recognition. These encourage positive feelings, help remove stress, and give you something to feel good about every day. The supervisor will see you as someone who is valuable. When stress is maintained at a reasonable level, job burnout will be less likely to happen. You will be productive, and you will be more likely to keep your job.

References

Kimbrel, Grady and Ben Vineyard. Succeeding in the World of Work. Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 1992.

Ludden, LaVerne. How to be a Success at Work. JIST Works, Inc., 1992.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Balance: An Institute Newsletter On Work, Family, and Personal Growth, ANR, October, 1989.

McKay, Matthew and Patrick Fanning. Self-Esteem, St. Martinis Press, 1987.

Robinson, Catherine and Jenise Rowekamp. Speaking Up at Work, Oxford University Press, 1985.

Veninga, Robert L. and James P. Spradley. The Work Stress Connection: How To Cope With Job Burnout, Little, Brown and Company, 1981.

Freudenberger, Herbert J. Burnout The High Cost Of Achievement, Anchor Press, 1980.

Crystal, John C. and Richard N. Bolles. Where Do I Go From Here With My Life?, Ten Speed Press, 1974.