T HE basis of real success is expertise That is, knowing your Job ex tremely well (a) because you have a gift for It. (bl because you have studied if thoroughly and been trained, and (c) because you have experience It Is usually when you have had a good deal of experience and the work comes n»ro or less easily that bring ideas are born

Many people make the mistake of wanting early and sensational success They get ■ easily disillusioned, bored or worried by the thought of fail ure This is foolish. They need not be failures unless they are bone lazy, know nothing about their Jobs, have no Judgement of themselves or others, or are Just plain unpleasant in their relationships with others "Stickability" is probably one of the main factors in the life of most obviously successful people. They have stuck through what seemed to be a failure, through lack of encourage ment. moments of ill luck and great difficulties.

Changing your job

"He who risks nothing, has nothing*, declares an old French proverb. All changes involve an element of risk, but during a period of economic stability it is foolish to hang on like grim death to a Job you hale simply because you prefer the devil you know to the one you don't.

There are so many training schemes open to us all that, even if you have been engaged in one kind of work for some time, there is no reason why you should not try something completely different. You should be sure that:

(a) it is work for which you have a natural gift or inclination; (b) you understand fully that-you may have to earn less for a while; (c) you work harder for a while; (d) you make the mental effort necessary to all changes in our basically conservative natures.

(The Women's Employment Federation is an organisation which exists purely to advise women on all aspects of work and the possibilities of training.)

This kind of change requires real thought and a desire to train. Rolling stones who change Jobs at a drop of a hat are a nuisance to any organisation and do themselves no good. After a certain amount of time they may be come virtually unemployable because they have not become trained to do anything really well and are too psychologically unstable to stay for long tn any fixed environment. No firm likes this, because all changes of staff are expensive.

But U you are really miserable and ft is your first or second Job. no-one will hold it against you if you leave after six months. It is a good rule to give yourself six months in which to be miserable, just in case you are wrong and not

Apart from the offer of an other and much better Job It is only fair to discuss with your Immediate superior your rea sons for wanting to leave Such a discussion might help Iron out all kinds of difficulties and put your problem In a different light.

Consider carefully

After having given a job a good try and discussed any dif ficultles or frustrations with your boss, you may see no Im provement and then ft is wiser to look elsewhere. You are only wasting your time. If you find the environment alien and If you feel you are always doing something wrong you are destroying your self-conftdence by continuing to be wrong or to be thought wrong. There are, of course, periods of frustration and sterility in all jobs, but these should not be allowed to last too long.

Although most Jobs carry a definite period of notice from one week to one month, it is fairer to be civilised and discuss the most convenient time for you to leave so as to cause as little disruption as possible. If a wonderful Job comes up and you have to take it on at a certain date or lose it, any humane boss will understand if you explain the reason, but consideration always pays, even if you feel you hate the sight of them all and could not care less. You never know where you might meet them agalnl Formidable gentlemen in Savile Row suits, formidable ladies wearing owlish glasses and expensive hats, all with strings of letters after their names; older, noisier, more pushing people than yourself. They can all be very frighten Ing indeed. Respect them, admire them if they deserve It. obey them while you work for them, but never, never be afraid of them. They ea». sleep, worry, suffer and need to be liked just as you do. They are human beings. Unreasonable fear Is a destructive thing. It can turn perfectly Intelligent people into cringing morons. It can make really gifted people hide their light under a bushel. It prevents people from taking up opportunities, from trying to alm a little higher and from finding out if they have any talent for a particular job or calling. Fear should be dropped right to the bottom of the nearest lake.

This may seem easier said than done. But a little sitting down and thinking helps. All superiors have duties towards their juniors. All people In charge of an organisation should be looking for the brightest and best among those who work for them, otherwise they are not worth their salaries. No Immediate superior should mind being asked to spare a little time to consider the problem of a Junior. In fact it is one of their duties. So long as you are not being a nuisance and taking up too much time or creating a mountain out of a molehill, they will not, or certainly should not, refuse to see you or to discuss a perfectly reasonable request.

Take a little time to think out exactly what you are going to say and your reasons for saying it. It may be about promotion, a rise in salary, a problem with your work. Never go above the head of your immediate superior This is not only bad taste and disloyal but can make enemies all round and you may find that you arc rather tgno mintously returned to the right Cirson to deal with your prob m. If you do want to see the managing director, tell your immediate superior so that cv erything is above board.

Asking fora rise

Something which makes people restless and unhappy at work 1s because ihey thing they are underpaid, but they would rather die than ask for a rise or discuss their work in terms of money. As 99 per cent of those who work do so principally -because they need money in order to live, salaries are obviously an important part of any job. No-one can object because you want to find out what possibility there is of earning more. Discuss the situation but never resort to the kind of blackmail which intimates that other firms are dying to employ you at a higher salary. You may find that you are politely put out of a Job with nowhere to go. You arc perfectly within your rights to say that you think you should be earning -more money because: (a) you have not had a rise for a long time; (b) you think that you deserve it (explain why); (c) you need it badly; although this is no reason by Itself for you to be given a rise It does explain to your boss that perhaps you must earn some more money or will have to look for a better paid job. He might prefer to raise your salary than lose you. but do not count on It!

Fear of getting the sack is another of those fears which seem to get hold of people and paralyse them into misery. Sometimes there is reasonable fear, but mostly It is a kind of ghost which arises from some basic insecurity. This Is the time to do a Httle self-analysis. You should be able to tell yourself more or less If: (a) your are doing your job properly; (b) your are putting tn the proper time, phis enthusiasm; (c) you are getting on with outside clients and with your colleagues Firms demand differ ent things from people. After you have worked a while with yours you should be able to de cldc whether or not your are giving them value for money

Be absolutely honest with yourself and write down on a piece of paper the things you think you are doing well and in another column mark all the things at which you may fall short. You will probably find your fears are groundless. But if you do have a suspicion that you are not pulling your weight, make a supreme effort to improve as quickly as you can. Discussion of these fears with a friendly senior might also help to put your mind at rest, but be sure it is someone you can trust.

Your fears might arise from pure incompatabllity of temperament with your superior. This is life. You Just cannot Hke everyone or be liked by every one. If you have really tried and it still seems not to work, then you must be philosophical and decide to find a job with someone else.

Being popular

As for the fears that some of your Colleagues may not Hke you. Just try to be as pleasant as possible and forget them. Relationships at work are quite different from, and even less demanding than, sharing a flat. Remember that most people want and'need to be liked, so start out by trying to like them or at least behaving as if you do. Few cap resist the charm of this approach. Be polite, obliging and kind to your colleagues and they will reciprocate better than you might imagine.

Finally, never consider a Job as a mere stop-gap, to be performed half-heartedly, until you find something better or get married. You will be much happier if you follow the old adage that "what is worth doing at all is worth doing well". The sheer happiness of being really good at something is a Joy which has to be experienced to be believed.