Page 8 - Apprenticeship book.cdr

A) Views and perceptions

Set short-term work goals.

Being a good employee involves going above and beyond the call of
duty. Try to be the best employee that you can be by setting personal goals in
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the short term to help yourself stand out. After a few days of work, try to
identify the things you need to work on the most and make it your goal to get
where you want to be.

If you're working in a kitchen, make it your goal to have all the
sandwich recipes memorized by the end of the month, so you don't have to
consult your cheat sheet. Or make it your goal to get your plate time down to
that of the other employees.
Focus more on the quality of your work and less on your efficiency in
your first couple of weeks. Make every sandwich well before you worry about
making it quickly. Worry about getting faster and producing more as you go on.

Be willing and realistic about what you can do.
Good employees are volunteers, willing to take on extra
responsibilities and tasks when asked. If you want to cultivate a reputation as a
reliable employee, then be willing to do things that need to be done.
It's also important to know your limits. If you've already got 10 things
to do before you leave today, don't volunteer to do one more thing that's going
to take several hours. Manage your time effectively.

Be cautious when you need to be too. If a fellow employee asks you
to do something, you're not sure about, it may be more helpful to think up an
alternative plan. Be tactful and defer to your boss for help, if necessary.

Just do your work, don't do anyone else's.
A good employee is committed to doing their job well without trying
to manage the way others work. When you're at work, stay focused on doing
what you need to do to the best of your abilities. Don't spend time getting into
another people's work unless they specifically ask for your advice or help. Stand
PART 1 out by getting everything done that you need to do.
Try to avoid workplace gossip. It's easy to group into little work
cliques that can distract you from your responsibilities. Just focus on doing your
A) Views and perceptions
work, not how well other people do their work

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