Hi All -

In oberving the community I've seen several people acquire new employment. For this, I say congratulations!

There's a little thing called the 3, 6, 9, 12+ rule in employment (metaphorically speaking) that we almost never think about. So I want to share this with you as a reminder (myself included) as it is something that I strictly follow which helps keep me productive, mindful, and consistent in the workforce.

• The 3, 6, 9, 12+ Rule? This is a rule of reminders of what comes after you land a new job. In the adult world we all get so excited that our efforts paid off and we have obtained new employment that we often overlook the understanding that we can lose it unexpectedly in a rapidly changing world. Keep in mind that this new employment opportunity is only the beginning. The first step was acquiring the new position. The second step is understanding that you're an at-will employee, you've signed documentation agreeing to this. And this brings me to the third step of proving yourself through your work ethic(s) and determination to keep your employment consistently active.

When you first acquire new employment, follow this method:

• It's only the beginning, so everything will be unfamiliar to you (the environment, the people, the job itself, etc.). It takes time to get acclimated to all of this. • Depending on the type of training (and the quality of it), including your abilities to learn and absorb the overload of information during training are being evaluated. This will reflect to management/trainers/co-workers if you can follow directions, follow company policies/procedures, maintain positivity and engage in being to open to learn, etc. This should help you establish your structure. • While it's perfectly okay to engage with your new co-workers and communicate, you also need to be aware that it's these people that are observing you. They are also the ones you don't know well enough as of yet to open up to them on a more comfortable level. Sometimes, people can and will turn on you quickly simply out of jealousy and/or envy. Regardless of our individual situations and the elements that we might struggle with in our personal lives there's someone who wants something we have, big or small. This could be your position or a promotion, etc. My point is that some might/will step on you if it means getting ahead, and you might be competition.

One of my favorite quotes is: "People will stab you in the back then ask why you're bleeding."