Ms. Career Girl

Change Your Attitude, Be a Star in the Office

by · Jul 21, 2010

There are many ways of being a star in your office, but one thing that I really struggled with is attitude. I don’t have a problem doing menial labor, even getting my boss lunch…in the very beginning. It got to a certain point, 3 years to be exact, when I just couldn’t deal anymore and I started to pout. I was 26 and pouting!

I had taken on more responsibilities, but I was still doing the filing, fetching coffee and scheduling doctors’ appointments. I started to resent my job and the people around me. The smile and positive attitude that I once had turned sour and I was short with everyone. On some level I thought that if my boss saw how miserable I was she would give me a promotion.

In reality, if your coworkers see how miserable you are, they probably won’t want to be around you and will assume that you don’t want to be there. I ended up leaving that job before I changed my attitude or got a promotion, but at my next job, I brought a positive attitude and got 3 promotions in 1 year.

How to change your attitude at the office

Ask yourself why you’re feeling bad. Is it a poor relationship with your boss? Do you want a raise? Or have you just been there too long and you’re ready for a career change?

Start the day with something you enjoy doing. I was in charge of blogging at my last job and I loved reading reader responses every morning. It made me feel like I was truly making an impact. What is that for you?

Meet with Human Resources. Your company most likely doesn’t want unhappy employees. Touch base with someone in HR and really figure out the best way to approach your boss. This is good because it gives you a chance to cool off and get your thoughts together.

Have a conversation with your boss. Once you’ve gathered your thoughts and you’ve taken a few deep breaths you will probably be ready to take care of business. In my last job I outlined the responsibilities that I started out with and how my responsibilities had grown. Most bosses like to see this type of organization and thought.

You will hear people say a job is a job and you’re not supposed to be happy 24/7. This might be true, but just be mindful of how your attitude impacts those around you.

  • What are some ways you’ve adjusted your attitude in the workplace?

Rachel Martin

Rachel Martin is a magazine editor turned entrepreneur and owner of Gen-Yise. After moving to New York a few months after graduating it took several months of networking and interviews to finally land a dream job and not once did she have to sell her soul! At 28 she’s been through the networking, heartaches, fights with the landlords, tax mishaps, etc and is now creating a social networking site to help women navigate their twenties. Let’s face it there is no Real World 101 seminar in college. Gen-Yise is women helping women through their “What I wish I had known” video blogs. Join the women of Gen-Yise on Facebook: http://tiny.cc/amrnm