OK, OK, I’ve been hiding behind the name ‘Editor’ or ‘Ed’, though many of our readers are well aware of who I am. I won’t be so shy in future and I’m happy for you to know that this newsletter is put together and written by Susan Hale, founder and Managing Director of Caribbean Resourcing Solutions Ltd.
I promised to introduce you to our latest staff addition – Keisha – who is the voice you hear when you call CRS and the face you meet when you visit our office. In fact, here is a picture of all of us at CRS, enjoying the Christmas atmosphere at our offices in Woodbrook, Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Top row from left: Stacey, Amelia and Karen. Bottom row from left: Sonja, Keisha and Susan.
Have a wonderful holiday season and may 2006 be all you dreamed of and deserve ……………. Susan (there I did it!)
Attitude – Key to Success
Why is it that some brilliant people don’t progress so well in their careers as other less talented individuals? There may be a variety of reasons but I’m going to focus on one important one – attitude!
If you had a choice of selecting an employee with average qualifications and experience but with a great “can do” attitude or someone with a superb resume but who would be a problem to manage and fit in with the team, who would you choose? Most people would choose the former, because we all like an easy atmosphere in our work place and to have people around us that we can rely on. There would have to be a real need for the special skills of an employee who you know is going to give you a hard time, for you to take on that stress.
A survey by the National Training Agency in 2000 showed that the attitudinal characteristics most sought after by local employers are:
1) Commitment to the Company
• Willing to co-operate with co-workers
• Loyal to Company and fellow colleagues
• Safety conscious
• Willing to work efficiently and productively
• People oriented and customer oriented
2) Commitment to Quality
• Willing to communicate openly and give accurate information
• Willing to continually improve
• Willing to accept change and make suggestions for change
• Willing to work within a team
3) Personal Traits
• Physically and mentally sound
• Self motivated
• Punctual
• Dedicated
• Assertive
• Takes Pride in Job
• Honest
• Self-disciplined
• Independent
• Flexible
• Well mannered
• Competent
• Willing to listen to others
So what is a “good attitude”? An example would be one where you strive to do your job to the best of your ability even if others around you are not pulling their weight. You would be prepared to go the extra mile, perhaps to finish a task even if it means working after hours or on weekends, or to take on jobs that may not be within your job description, and to willingly do what is necessary to keep a customer happy. It’s all about doing your best to ensure the business is successful and customers and suppliers enjoy dealing with you. It’s about focusing on what you can do for the company rather than what the company should do for you.
I’m not advocating that you should let your employer take advantage of your good nature. If the demands on you are unreasonable then you should point this out in a calm and assertive way. Sometimes, it is the employer who has a bad attitude to his/her staff. In this case, you must decide whether the direction you want to go in and your personal ethics are in line with those of your employer, and walk away if they are not.
However, if you regularly find that you have a problem with people in your workplace and those with whom you interact outside the company, and this happens in every job you have, then I’m afraid that you have to look at your own attitude. It’s unlikely that the whole world is wrong and you alone are right. In this case, adjusting your attitude will cause people to relate better to you and could change your life and bring you the success that may be eluding you. I can guarantee that you would enjoy your job a whole lot better too!
This may be a good New Year’s resolution – to consider how you could improve your own attitude to your job and how you relate to others at work, so that you can be happier and more successful in your career. Good luck for 2006!
Tell Us What You Think
Letters to the Editor:
(referring to our last newsletter – Networking to Get a Job)
I have been networking quite a lot recently since I am moving to the UK and will be looking for work when I get there. What I realize from reading your article is that I’ve been networking intuitively, and not with any clear idea about how to approach this task. Your article has given me a structure to work with and some Golden Rules to follow.
It’s also given me the confidence that what I’m doing is an essential activity in my search for a job that will further my career. There were times when I felt a bit “boldfaced” in seeking peoples advice and asking if they knew anyone to whom I could send my Resume. I approach my networking now not with the feeling that I’m asking for anything, but that I’m conducting “informational interviews” that may eventually lead me to my goal.
Thanks for the words of wisdom and guidance. They came just at the right time for me…. Robin
I’m glad I was able to help. Good luck with your job search…. Susan
We would love to hear what you think of this issue of CRS News. And of course, if you have any suggestions for upcoming issues that you would like to share with us, please send those too.