How to keep a job

The Power and Possibility of a Slippery Slope                                                                                                                                                                 
    How one event in your day can possibly change and affect the rest of your life.

Frustration in the school and workplace for college working students

(http://www.howtobeginabusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Employmentorbeginabusiness.jpg) employed :)

How to Keep A Job

 As my Blog focuses on college working students, I would like to offer a few pointers that I have learned over the years. 

Tip #1.  Show up on time

Show up early or on time to let the boss know that you take your job seriously.  Even if you don’t take your job seriously, smile and let your boss think you do. 

Tip #2.  Always show up.

Your grandmother can only die so many times before your work becomes suspicious of why you cannot show up.  Make sure you plan in advance if you need a day off because you do not want to call a few hours before saying you cannot come in.

Tip #3.  Pretend you care.

When a customer or boss tells you something, try hard to look like you are listening.  Even if you are not completely listening, make sure your face conveys sincerity at all times.  Pretending to care about people or the company is essential.

Tip #4.  Do not use vulgar language. 

When a manager or customer has a complaint and you feel the need to yell and swear at them, try your best to resist.  Simple focus on breathing and know that you are getting an education and will be making more money than this person one day.

Tip #5.  Sleep with your employer.

Personally I do not know if this strategy works, but a girl I used to work with tried this to keep her job.  She was sleeping with the employer’s brother (a 30 year old age difference) and the only reason she doesn’t work there anymore is because she quit.  So this strategy is one of the best, but it does have its drawbacks. 

(http://www.growyourselves.com/images/happy.jpg) happy worker

Overwhelmed College Student

The Power and Possibility of a Slippery Slope                                                                                                                                                                       
How one event in your day can possibly change and affect the rest of your life.

Frustration in the school and workplace for college working students

“I decided to listen to my counselor and take 4 English classes and one Teaching class in the same semester.”

(http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/05/27/stressedout_000012685215XSmall_620x414.png) (stressed out)

When I started college over 2 years ago, I enjoyed taking English classes because I felt smart in them and loved to read.  However, when I took my counselor’s advice and signed up for 4 English classes as well as an online teaching class, I did not know the amount of work I was about to face.  I still love reading, but do not enjoy being forced to read so many novels at the same time.  Let me walk you through an English Major’s daily week:

 Day 1 & 3: American Literature

In this class we have to read a 200-300-page novel a week.

In addition, we have to pretend we know what the book is about and give a few classroom presentations and research papers.

 Day 1 & 3 (Continued): Advanced Comp

This class is one of the only classes I enjoy, but it involves a lot of thinking before you complete your assignment.  I am more of an academic writer so this class makes me focus on the way I am writing. 

In this class we must peer review blogs, keep up to date with writing logs, and post original blogs every week.

 Day 2 & 4: Shakespeare Tragedies

I have already expressed how this class has been ruined for me because of the teacher’s lecture on the first day of class, but we must read a Shakespeare Tragedy each week.

In addition, we must watch the movie, have a comparative/contrast quiz on the text and movie, give a class presentation and write research papers.

Day 2 & 4(Continued): British Literature

This class requires memorization of 120 poems and to remember one line from a 20-page poem and analyze it.  

In addition, we must read about 50 pages of poetry I do not understand every night to take the most difficult tests I have ever taken.

 Each class by itself does not sound terribly difficult, but when you have to do all of this reading and writing in the same week for the entire semester, it can be quite hard. 

“Next time I will know to mention to my counselor that I work 3 jobs before taking on all of these English Courses.”

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51OLioQUSTL._SL500_AA300_.jpg) 

(working too much)

Teacher Tragedy

The Power and Possibility of a Slippery Slope                                                                                                                                                                       
How one event in your day can possibly change and affect the rest of your life.

Frustration in the school and workplace for college working students

“I decided to take a Shakespeare Tragedy course even though Rate My Professors advised me against doing so.”

(http://www.theater-masks.com/i/masks/tragedy-mask-wearable.jpg) tragedy mask 

As an Education English major, I have to take this course in order to graduate.  I found a class that worked perfectly with my schedule and signed up for it.  I always check RateMyProfessors to see how difficult my teacher will be.  When I checked for this class, I saw that my teacher had a terrible rating.  It said the class was unfair, demanding, has a heavy workload, and that you are not allowed to have a different opinion from the instructor.

Against my better judgment, I decided to take this class so I could sleep in.  I did not mind doing extra work because I enjoy reading and was excited to read the famous tragedies.  On the first day of class she told us that we would be reading 9 tragedies.  As I wrote down the titles and wondered what they would be about, my teacher told me exactly how each novel ended.

It is the first day of class and she ruined every book we have to read!  She ruined every ending for all 9 Shakespeare tragedies, so now I have no initiative to actually read the text.  I was expecting a teacher that would assign a lot of work, which she did, not a teacher that purposely gave away the ending to each novel we would be reading. 

“Now I know to listen to RateMyProfessors to avoid teachers that take away any desire to read the class material.”

(http://ww4.hdnux.com/photos/15/52/53/3582683/3/628x471.jpg) (no more reading!)

ENGLISH CLASS                   Frustration in school and the workplace                    

The Power and Possibility of a Slippery Slope                                                                                                                                                                       
How one event in your day can possibly change and affect the rest of your life.

"Last Monday I decided to wake up super early to study for class."

http://germanbeautysabine.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/wakingup1.jpg (early wake up)

       Early for a 20 year old is noon, and super early is 6:30 am.  I was determined to finish the novel, Beloved, for my english class.  After hitting snooze for the 5th time, my dad yelled at me to wake up.  I asked him what was so important at 6:30 in the morning, and he said we had to go to breakfast.  He did not want to go alone and forced me to drop off my little sister and accompany him to breakfast.  

      I tried to explain that I needed to study, but he said I was already up so I needed to go.  Breakfast took over an hour, so I was running out of time to study.  I read my book for the next two hours, pages away from the end, when I realized I was running late for class.  I was in such a hurry I forgot my change of clothes for work, but did remember my book.  I drove as fast as I could to school, and tried to read and walk while walking to class.  Even though I missed a step on the staircase and almost fell, and ran into two people,  I finished my novel!  I opened the door to my class, excited that I would be prepared for class discussion, when I saw the "Class is Canceled" sign.  

http://www.georgebrown.ca/uploadedImages/GBCCA/_Videos/Programs/class-is-cancelled.jpg (Class Cancelled)

"Next time I will know the first thing to do when waking up early is to see if the professor sent out an email."

Cookies

The Power and Possibility of a Slippery Slope
How one event in your day can possibly change and affect the rest of your life.

            "Two weekends ago I decided to make chocolate chip cookies for everyone at the restaurant I work at."

http://onwardstate.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.jpeg (delicious cookies)

            We’ve been recently hiring new servers and bussers and I thought it was a great idea to make new friends.  I made about 80 cookies, thinking that would be more than enough for everyone.  I carefully divided the cookies into 4 separate containers so I could distribute them to the cooks, servers, bussers and hostesses. 

            I arrived at work feeling like a hero, and placed the cookies down in the hostess station.  After I clocked in, I gave the largest container of cookies to my favorite chef and asked him to share them with all the cooks.  Though I did not know it at the time, this was my first mistake of the night. 

            My second mistake, was telling my manager I made cookies.  I was not aware of his sweet tooth at the time as I offered him one.  He loved the warm chocolate chip cookie and grabbed one of the bussers walking by.  He told the busser to try one and he enjoyed them as well.  The bugger asked for more and I gave him a container to take outside and share with the other bussers. 

            Not realizing I just made my third mistake of the night, I gave some of my cookies to the new servers.  They sincerely thanked me, and I moved on to inform the other servers I work with about my delicious cookies.  However, it started getting really busy in the restaurant and I had to get back to work.  Throughout the night I had a few of the new servers ask for more cookies and I told them to tell the other servers I had cookies for them. 

            I noticed something was wrong when I spoke to a chef about a To-Go order.  He was being rude to me and I did not understand his irritation.  When I asked him what as wrong he told me that I favored the head chef and gave him cookies.  Confused, I explained that they were for everyone.  He said that the chef refused to share and that all the other cooks were upset as well.  After confronting the head chef. He explained that he ate them all.  So now I have the chefs against me. 

            After having this discussion, one of my favorite servers asked me why I only made cookies for the new servers.  Apparently my message of informing the old servers to get cookies was lost in translation.  So now I have the servers against me.

            Trying to find some extra cookies, I went to get what was left from the bussers, but since the container was outside they were melted.  I returned to look at the hostess stash of cookies and I saw my manager and the other hostess finishing them off.  So now I have the servers and chefs upset at me and I never tried a cookie myself.   

http://www.colourbox.com/preview/2680082-100577-portrait-of-pretty-unhappy-girl-isolated-on-white-background.jpg (how I feel)

"I assumed showing up to work with homemade cookies was a great idea, but now I know the action only turns your co-workers against you."