By Cole Breiland
While many students are worrying about finding work in their field of expertise, it is useful to keep in mind what students should be doing to keep that job and make it a more positive experience.
This week the Northern Lights employment resource centre in downtown Belleville held a workshop detailing the top reasons people lose their jobs and outline strategies employees can follow to have a positive working relationship.
According to the points covered at the workshop, the top reasons people lose their employment are:
• Knowingly breaking company policy.
• Always waiting to be told what to do.
• Being unable to change with a changing environment.
• Not making an effort to improve after warnings
• Doing just enough to get by – and then falling short.
• Having a poor attitude with the boss.
• Poor attitude in general.
• Mistakes from not checking work.
• Poor work attitude about doing their job.
• Poor Attendance and tardiness.
The workshop also gave strategies to have a personally and professionally rewarding employment by avoid these pitfalls.
They encouraged people to make better relationships with co-workers, as it will make their work easier and their performance better.
Similarly, they suggested avoiding gossip and negative venting, while tempting, is likely beneficial in the long run as it can reflect poorly on your personality.
Along the same line, they advise to find a mentor if you can. Is there someone with good management or technical experience in your organization? You can ask for their guidance. They point out that individual does not need to be a boss or someone with influence to learn from them.
Knowing what is expected of you and pushing your own limits to take on task outside of what you normally do can make you a more valuable employee, the presentation recommends.
Valuing your position is something the centre thinks is of importance. They bluntly point out “despite what we may want, or think, we are all replaceable.” They make clear that doing your best to show your employer that you are the best person for the job is something that does not end at the interview.
Students in need of job search, application, or career advice are advised to contact the Loyalist College Community Employment Services.