2. Contents
Click the link below to go directly to the slides for that chapter.
Chapter 1 ■ Your Personal Strengths Chapter 2 ■ The Roles You Play Chapter 3 ■ Why We Work Chapter 4 ■ Exploring the Career Clusters Chapter 5 ■ Think Like an Entrepreneur Chapter 6 ■ Skills for Success Chapter 7 ■ Academic Planning Chapter 8 ■ Communicating with Others Chapter 9 ■ Building Relationships Chapter 10 ■ Basic Math Skills Chapter 11 ■ Technology and Your Career Chapter 12 ■ Career Planning Chapter 13 ■ Managing a Job Search Chapter 14 ■ Getting Started in Your Career
Chapter 15 ■ Being Productive in Your Career Chapter 16 ■ Living a Healthy and Balanced Life Chapter 17 ■ Starting Your Own Business Chapter 18 ■ Planning Your Own Business Chapter 19 ■ Managing Your Business Chapter 20 ■ Personal Money Management Chapter 21 ■ Personal Financial Planning Chapter 22 ■ Basic Economics Chapter 23 ■ Basic Business Financial Management Chapter 24 ■ Financial Calculations for Business

3. Beginning a New Job
Being successful at work requires you to put your best foot forward starting on day one.
To make a new job less stressful:
Understand exactly what you are supposed to do.
Make a commitment to do your best.
Get to know your co-workers.
Your first day will probably involve filling out forms, such as the W-4 for tax-withholding purposes.
Be prepared to bring these documents on the first day.
Your birth certificate or passport, or resident card
Your Social Security card
A work permit.
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4. Your First Day on a New Job
Orientation is designed to answer your questions and provide the information you need to get started.
An employee handbook describes company policies and procedures.
Many companies provide new-employee training, some specific to your job.
You need to make a good first impression on everybody from day one:
Come to work a little early the first few days.
Dress the part.
Be proactive.
Keep any negative opinions to yourself.
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5. Building Work Relationships
Like any other relationship, the ones you build at work can affect your on-the-job success, job satisfaction, and overall well being.
Building positive working relationships:
Makes you more productive.
Gives you additional opportunities to learn.
Makes work more enjoyable.
Negative working relationships can lead to conflicts, which can decrease productivity, increase stress, and even be the cause of dismissal.
Perhaps the most important thing you can do during your first week of work is to get to know your fellow workers.
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6. Work Attitudes
Regardless of the person, customer or co-worker, manager or peer, it’s important to have a positive attitude.
Also remember that work relationships are just that—work relationships. Keep any personal problems to yourself.
People who can work successfully as part of a team—whether as a leader or a team member—are valued in the work environment.
Good team members recognize that each person on the team has different ideas and skills. They use these differences to achieve their common goals.
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7. Benefiting from a Performance Review
A performance review is a report that rates how well you are doing on your job.
A performance review is a resource that helps you understand how your supervisor views your ability to manage your work-related tasks. You can use the information to improve and advance in your career.
Most companies schedule performance reviews on a regular basis.
Many companies use an assessment form. Your supervisor will rate your performance in different areas.
Though every review is different, reviews generally evaluate employees in terms of their ability to meet expectations.
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8. How to Handle a Performance Review
The information in your performance review is intended to help you succeed at work.
Use the time in the meeting to discuss with your supervisor ways you can make the most of your strengths at work, and how you can improve in the areas where you may be underperforming.
Your performance review is also a good time to discuss the goals you have achieved and to set new goals for the coming year.
If, for some reason, your supervisor neglects to schedule a review, you will have to remind him or her.
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9. Requesting Additional Education and Training
To keep up with changes in the workplace, seek out additional education and training.
Co-workers and supervisors often provide on-the-job training simply by showing you how to improve the way you do your regular tasks, or teaching you new skills.
Your company might also offer:
Specialized courses
Professional development—training in your chosen career
Tuition reimbursement programs
Developing new skills prepares you for new responsibilities and helps you achieve career, academic, and life goals.
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10. Mentoring and Lifelong Learning
A mentor is someone knowledgeable and experienced in your field who is willing to teach you, advise you, and help you reach your goals.
Consider these tips when finding and choosing a mentor:
Know what you want
Explore your network
Show your gratitude
Lifelong learning means continually acquiring new knowledge and skills throughout the course of your life.
The goal of lifelong learning is not simply to advance your career, but to cultivate your interests and gain new experiences.
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11. Obtaining a Raise or Promotion
A raise is an increase in pay. A promotion is an advance in your career with a new job title and additional responsibilities.
Promotions often come with an increase in pay and added responsibilities.
By moving up, you learn new skills and grow as a person.
The best way to earn a raise or promotion is to work hard, excel at your job, and show your supervisor that you have the skills, interests, and abilities to take on more responsibility.
There are two basic types of raises:
An annual raise is awarded to all employees on a regular basis—usually once a year.
A merit raise is based on your performance.
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12. Making a Career Change
Knowing when it is time for a career change often depends on whether it is a decision you make for yourself, or one that your employer makes for you.
Changing jobs is stressful. It means leaving a familiar situation. It means beginning your job search all over again. It may even mean going back to school or learning new skills.
A job change is also an opportunity to think critically about your career and to set new career goals.
Leaving on good terms is important. You want to maintain positive relationships with your supervisor and co-workers.
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13. The Process of Changing Jobs
Some things you can do to make process of changing jobs easier for yourself and your employer:
Give Notice. Tell your employer you are leaving in advance. You should be clear about the date you plan to stop working.
Submit a letter of resignation. This is a brief, formal, and positive letter that states that you are leaving the job, the date your employment will end, and thanks to your employer for the opportunity to have worked there.
Create a job folder for your replacement.
Meet with a human resources representative to discuss the ongoing nature of your benefits.
An exit interview is a meeting with your supervisor or human resources representative to discuss why you are leaving.
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14. Coping with a Layoff
A layoff is a job loss caused when a company has no work for certain employees for a period of time.
To better cope with a job loss, do the following.
Make sure you understand the reason for your termination.
Ask for letters of recommendation.
Analyze the terms of your severance package.
File for unemployment benefits as soon as you are eligible.
Check into your health insurance options.
Reevaluate your budget.
Ask for help.
Stay positive.
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15. Finding a New Job
The best time to look for a new job is while you still have the old one.
There are a few advantages you have when looking for a new job.
You have experience
You have developed contacts in the industry
You know more about yourself
People put their careers on hold every day. There are many things to consider when returning to work.
Remember that no matter what you did in your time off, it helped you grow as a person and probably improved important skills that you can transfer to your job.
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16. Chapter Review
Being successful at work requires you to put your best foot forward starting on day one.
Orientation is designed to answer your questions and provide the information you need to get started.
The relationships you build at work can affect your on-the-job success, job satisfaction, and overall well being.
People who can work successfully as part of a team are valued in the work environment.
A performance review is a report that rates how well you are doing on your job.
To keep up with changes in the workplace, seek out additional education and training.
Chapter Getting Started in Your Career 14

17. Chapter Review (continued)
A mentor uses their knowledge and experience to teach and advise you and to help you reach your goals.
Lifelong learning means continually acquiring new knowledge and skills throughout the course of your life.
A raise is a pay increase. A promotion is a career advance.
Knowing when it is time for a career change often depends on whether it is a decision you make for yourself, or one that your employer makes for you.
A layoff is a job loss caused when a company has no work for certain employees for a period of time.
The best time to look for a new job is while you still have the old one.
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