Five New-Job Habits to Avoid
by: Jay Wolf
At my last part time job, I discovered quickly that not only was I expected to do my work, but also that of the coworker from the shift before me. It wasn't written into my contract, nor was it ever actually expressed in this fashion, but it was something that infuriated me as it persisted. It started with little things; being asked to "finish" mopping that had never even started, bring supplies up from downstairs that she knew where to find and had not shown me, organizing and other upkeep efforts that, while either of us could handle them, would have been nice to have finished, or at least started, before her shift ended. In the daily log book she would complain of trials and tribulations with materials and customers, even on slow days, and would leave even simple tasks undone. While her external demeanor was sweet and perhaps so much as ineffectual, her attitude was ultimately one of the factors that helped me decide to leave. I learned a lot about what I will and won't tolerate from employers and other coworkers in the future though, and that is worth more than a paycheck to me.
A few of the things that I've learned about along the way:
*Don't bend over backwards to impress anyone in your first few weeks at a new job. Odd as this sounds, it will set you up for a ridiculously high standard of performance from the job. Do exactly as you are asked to do, and don't overextend yourself. Demonstrate your ability to allot your time on the clock effectively by picking small and manageable projects when left to your own devices. This will show your employer that you are responsible without leaving you as open to being potentially overworked later.
*Don't be a pushover. It always sounds like a good idea to take on everything an employer, manager or other employee asks you to do, but the reality is, they sometimes ask too much, and failing to do something when you've already agreed to do it always looks bad, especially when you are making commitments to multiple people. Know your limits; if you don't think you can manage all of the things you are asked to do, ask for additional time if you have to, or if what you are being asked to do is not essential, ask if you can do it at another time. While at first it sounds like a copout, if you are reasonable about the things you decline, your manager will respect your honesty and will be less likely to ask completely unreasonable things of you in the future.
*Don't complain. If you are being "given" a lot of extra work or feel like you may be getting singled out by another employee, odds are, it's the reason the last person left. Determine whether you think the behavior is simply rank-pulling or is serious enough to warrant harassment, and whether you really need the job if it is just rank pulling, but the behavior persists. If you feel you must voice your concerns, make sure that you voice these complaints only with a superior and out of the earshot of other employees. Suggesting in any way that this person's behavior is successful will only lead to more of the same behavior, and may plant doubt as to your own abilities.
*Don't fight fire with fire. Don't combat rank pulling or other subtle bullying with more of the same; it will only lead to two people not getting all of their work done on their shift, and while that seems like fair repayment, it may call unwelcome attention to your work habits. Don't open yourself to that kind of criticism.
*Don't tolerate unethical behavior. If you feel like you are still being treated unfairly, it might be time to find something new. It's never pretty when a job stops being worth the paycheck, but it happens and you need to know when and how to leave gracefully to minimize the potential future damages. Above all, try to keep it polite.
Remember that when you work for someone, you are expected to prioritize their needs, and that when they hired you, they expected you would be able to fulfill those needs for a wage that was agreed on from the beginning. Of course it was worth it at first, but you need to monitor your feelings about the job setting along the way to make sure that you don't feel used at the end of the day. You will have bad days, but until they start outnumbering the good ones by double digits, it should be worth it to you.
About The Author:
Jay Wolf is an author on Writing.Com, which is a site for Creative Writers. When she isn't looking for the perfect job, she can be found tinkering in her personal portfolio at http://bowling_shoe.writing.com or out on safari in the concrete jungles of south Brooklyn.
This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.Facsimile.Com/ which is a site for Fax Machines.
March 2006
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