5 Reasons to Check Your Attitude

Should you check your attitude?

No room to work with someone with a bad attitude

This came up as the discussion topic at a business leader meeting. Everyone in the room nodded in agreement when Jim, owner of a commercial and residential HVAC company said, When you look at your staff, at this point in the economic picture, there is no room to work with someone with a bad attitude.”

Ron, a Vice President of IT, agreed, “We have zero tolerance now for someone with a bad attitude.” With successful companies who can afford to expand staff, they look for people who don’t have special needs to correct.

If you are unemployed and interview with a chip on your shoulder, you will not get hired.

Does the economy matter?

Ron noted there are many positions which will remain vacant. Companies now run leaner and wait longer to fill openings. When they do hire, they are going to look at the full picture. This goes beyond whether you can do the tasks assigned to you. The employer wants to know how you communicate with management and with your fellow workers.

When you land the job, remember this is not the cue to start complaining. Forget your whining about management, gossiping about coworkers, grumbling about the customers, complaining about working overtime, or using office time to iron out personal conflicts.

Bring your best game and check your attitude

Bring your best game to the office, store, manufacturing plant, or workplace either as an employee or job applicant. Here are 5 reasons to check your attitude:

  1. Don’t come to an interview with a chip on your shoulder about a former employer, past customers or your last coworkers. Employers will look at someone who complains as someone who will be complaining about them in the near future.
  2. Speak positively about work experiences and the value you bring to the workplace and the particular industry.
  3. Find creative ways to help build positive customer experiences and share them with others. With the challenge of finding new and retaining existing customers, companies want to hire and retain employees who treat their customers well and go the extra mile to make each customer feel special or valued.
  4. Companies want fewer problems, not more. If you have been using alcohol or drugs to escape from the world, think hard and long about finding resources to help you quit alcohol or substance abuse. Companies that might have had drug or alcohol programs in place before are now more likely to select candidates that have no such issues and also may require drug testing.
  5. Don’t burn any bridges. Similar to number 1, complaining about former employers, coworkers, or customers always hurts you. Remember, you might need someone from your past to help you in a future position.

Share reasons you think you should check your attitude at work or in the job search.

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6 Comments

  1. Kimba Green on September 29, 2010 at 10:48 am

    Bring solutions to the table not problems.



    • Julie Walraven on September 29, 2010 at 11:13 am

      Good point, Kimba and great advice from your Project Manager viewpoint!



  2. Master Resume Writer on September 30, 2010 at 8:45 am

    Julie,

    Your 5 Reasons to Check Your Attitude are actionable. #1 is particularly crucial, as many job seekers are left with bitter or, at the least, somewhat negative sentiments about their last employer. Being laid off, terminated or deciding one’s own fate by resigning generally carries with it this new set of baggage.

    It is imperative that job seekers work through that negativity and move to the side of positivity before moving into the active job search. This means, as you articulated, being able to “speak positively about work experiences and the value you bring tot he workplace and the particular industry.”

    Another valuable post, Julie! I so enjoy following your blog!

    ~Jacqui



    • Julie Walraven on September 30, 2010 at 10:15 am

      Exactly, Jacqui! Thanks for stopping by and the kind words. I wasn’t surprised by my group’s slant but I thought it was very important to get it out there because I think there are many job seekers and employees who “cop an attitude” and don’t realize the consequences. My brother was saying on FB that many of the employees who were permanently laid off from a major manufacturer were laid off because of attitude.

      You can’t take that risk in today’s workplace.



  3. Henway on September 30, 2010 at 6:32 pm

    Definitely don’t badmouth anyone, even if you really hate them, you never really know when you need to rely on them. I say treat your enemies and associates like customers. Help them out, keep in touch with them, see what they need and see if you can provide it… it’ll benefit you in the long run.



    • Julie Walraven on October 2, 2010 at 7:53 pm

      Yes, no burning bridges, that’s a guarantee.



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