HOW'S YOUR ATTITUDE?

Your attitude may well become your most important asset for re-entry success - or it may get in your way.

Indeed, re-entry is filled with anxiety and uncertainty. Motivation to face each day with energy and purposeful action requires a positive attitude that can propel you to success.

On the other hand, your attitude might drag you down a road to failure. Take a moment to examine your attitude:

Is it negative much of the time?
Do you often make excuses?
Does your attitude show in what you say and do?
Are others attracted to you in a positive manner?
What motivates you to succeed?

Check the current state of your attitude by completing the following exercise. Indicate whether or not you primarily agree (“Yes”) or disagree (“No”) with each statement:

  1. Other people often make my work and life difficult.
    ____Yes____No

  2. When I get into trouble, it's often because of what someone else did rather than my fault.
    ____Yes____No

  3. People often take advantage of me.
    ____Yes____No

  4. When I worked, people less qualified than me often got promoted.
    ____Yes____No

  5. I avoid taking risks because I'm afraid of failing.
    ____Yes____No

  6. I don't trust many people.
    ____Yes____No

  7. Not many people trust me.
    ____Yes____No

  8. Not many people I know take responsibility.
    ____Yes____No

  9. Most people get ahead because of connections, schmoozing, and politics.
    ____Yes____No

  10. When I worked, I was assigned more duties than other people in similar positions.
    ____Yes____No

  11. I expect to be discriminated against in my job search and on the job.
    ____Yes____No

  12. I don't feel like I can change many things; I've been dealt this hand, so I'll have to live with it.
    ____Yes____No

  13. I've had my share of bad luck.
    ____Yes____No

  14. Employers try to take advantage of job seekers by offering them low salaries.
    ____Yes____No

  15. I didn't like many of the people I worked with.
    ____Yes____No

  16. There's not much I can do to get ahead.
    ____Yes____No

  17. My ideas are not really taken seriously.
    ____Yes____No

  18. I often think of reasons why other people's ideas won’t work.
    ____Yes____No

  19. Other people are often wrong, but I have to put up with them nonetheless.
    ____Yes____No

  20. I sometimes respond to suggestions by saying “Yes, but...,” “I'm not sure...,” “I don't think it will work...,” “Let's not do that...”
    ____Yes____No

  21. I don't see why I need to get more education.
    ____Yes____No

  22. I often wish other people would just disappear.
    ____Yes____No

  23. I sometimes feel depressed.
    ____Yes____No

  24. I have a hard time getting and staying motivated.
    ____Yes____No

  25. I don't look forward to going to work.
    ____Yes____No

  26. When I worked, I sometimes came to work late.
    ____Yes____No

  27. The jobs I've had didn't reflect my true talents.
    ____Yes____No

  28. I'm worth more than most employers will pay.
    ____Yes____No

  29. I've been known to do things behind my boss's back that could get me into trouble.
    ____Yes____No

_________TOTALS:____________

If you checked “Yes” to more than six of these statements, you may be harboring some bad attitudes that affect both your job search and your on-the-job performance.

You should seriously consider changing these attitudes since they are most likely significant barriers to getting ahead.

 

SOURCE: Adapted from Ron Krannich, Ph.D., The Re-Entry Employment and Life Skills Pocket Guide (Manassas Park: Impact Publications), pages 20-21. Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. Copying strictly forbidden.