Off topic - question at church: what advice would you give a
Recent high school graduate in one sentence? Any takers? Serious or funny welcome.
You aren't bulletproof and you can't leap tall buildings in a single bound...
Would depend on the graduate's interests
by Miles 
, CIVITATES AMERICAE, Wednesday, May 27, 2015, 22:19 (3472 days ago) @ stonewalrus
Professional? Technical?
Or are we talking about life in general?
life skills
Nm
life skills? life skills!
by Miles , CIVITATES AMERICAE, Wednesday, May 27, 2015, 23:33 (3472 days ago) @ stonewalrus
Your reputation will precede you.
So.
Do what you say you'll do. Don't do what you've said you won't do.
Which can be said as:
If you make a promise, keep it.
And the other side of that:
If you don't know you can keep a promise, don't make it.
Ride for the brand. Which means: since you're getting paid, be loyal.
And give them their money's worth. If you have a doubt about it, do more, not less.
Doesn't mean you can't quit and go elsewhere, just when you're at one job, that's where your loyalty is.
And always remember, just because you do these things, it doesn't mean everyone else is too. Trust is built one brick on another, and that goes both ways.
Excellent! My wife has student workers at the university
Where she works. She has seen a drop in work ethics and do what you say you will do.
That reputation will not serve them well
by Miles , CIVITATES AMERICAE, Thursday, May 28, 2015, 16:56 (3471 days ago) @ stonewalrus
when I was stationed at Knox, we had one guy who's reputation, and my experience, was that he'd spend more time and exert more effort trying to figure out a way not to work than if he'd just do the job and go on from there.
As it's almost *unpossibal!* to fire someone in the civil service, all you can really do is hope they apply for another position and help to send them on their merry way.
He was two jobs past a return from Japan, from where he was trying to return since he had married and had family, and property, over there. (In the civil service, you will be returned to your point of origin stateside every so often.)
Seems he was never selected for any job he applied for. Later I heard he had finally just gave up, "retired" and moved back. His reputation had done him in, even though we gave him sterling referrals just to get him out of our hair. His former managers in Japan had no reason to 'gild the lily' and - I surmised - told his prospective managers what he was like.
Lots of good advice already.
by Hoot 
, Diversityville, Liberal-sota, Thursday, May 28, 2015, 08:54 (3471 days ago) @ stonewalrus
What I might offer is to say, "Yes" to 'purt near any opportunity that appears. If someone is offering you a chance to do or try something (legal and ethical, of course), it tends to be because they believe in you. I know saying yes took me places and allowed me to do things I would have never guessed at.
"There is only pain and hardship"
by Bob Hatfield , Thursday, May 28, 2015, 17:34 (3471 days ago) @ stonewalrus
edited by Bob Hatfield, Thursday, May 28, 2015, 17:39
All your worth in this life is how well you will be remembered when you're gone.
Amen. I wouldn't be a very good life coach right now
I just got a voluntary buyout letter which is basically the governor's way of saying we would like for you to go find a job somewhere else. Hope to be able to hold out until I hit my 30 next year. Work hard and then get stabbed in the back. Lovely way to finish out a career.
Ouch! Sorry to hear that Tom.
by Hoot , Diversityville, Liberal-sota, Friday, May 29, 2015, 08:09 (3470 days ago) @ stonewalrus
It seems to happen with increasing regularity these days. I hope things work out for the best for you.