All situations or events in our life that are unfamiliar to us and cause a transition or change any habits can cause havoc with our emotions and cause undo stress with our mental and physical being. That being said, starting a new job or changing your career can be very draining and stressful for anyone.

I know in my lifetime I have gone through many changes so I know first hand how hard it can be. When starting a new job you need to be alert so your able to think clearly and be able to make decisions and carry them out with energy. You will likely be on probation for the first 90 days till you prove yourself and knowing that will cause a stressful feeling.

If you know what your going into before you start you can work on adapting your mental state to meet this challenge and make the transition easier. Every job I have ever had, the whole process has made me physically sick from all the stress.

I like to show by example so I was never good at telling people what to do. I worked as both waitress and bartender at one restaurant for 20 years and was given the responsibility of training them, both waitresses and bartenders, plus I was forced to fire a couple of people which wasn’t in my job description nor was I paid for assuming the role as manager. Working with the public is very stressful in itself, but to have to let someone go because my boss was a coward caused me to seek a career change.

When starting any new endeavor be prepared for feelings of fear and uncertainty and your personal life will need adjusting depending on the shift and hours you are expected to work. Your first priority will be to learn and get the lay of the land. Never be afraid to ask questions regardless if you think someone might think your stupid and if need be ask your questions over and over until you learn. This is where that energy and focus will come in handy.

A good boss will communicate well with their employees so you will know exactly what is expected of you and if they don’t then you should initiate some form of communication so everything is clear and do try to get to know your boss. You can learn transferable skills from any position you hold so never consider any job as dead end, the more skills you can develop the more you can offer if you ever change positions. Do your very best on every job so you can develop good references.

5 necessary skills for job survival are punctuality and that means in all things, getting to work on time, returning on time from breaks and lunch, your attendance at meetings, appointments and always make sure you plan ahead encase you need some other form of transportation.

Quality means how well you perform your job in all areas to keep the product up to standard or better so the consumer will be happy and buy more. Your company will not grow if the quality is bad so take pride in your job.

Productivity – You are paid by a company to produce a certain amount of work so it is best to develop a positive attitude and avoid any circumstances that would limit your ability to perform the duties that are expected. Production is always the end result for any company.

The ability to get along with fellow employees, the public, and supervisors is very important. You are always being evaluated by your actions so be cooperative, courteous, and show good work ethics. Steer clear of any problematic employees and be careful of the things you do and how you do them.

Loyalty is truly appreciated and valued by the employer and is usually rewarded. It encompasses all of the above skills. When you are working toward the common goal of improving your place of employment, you are not only making it better for the employer, but for everyone around you including yourself.