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How Can I Avoid Making Mistakes at My New Job?

Lauren Romano
Lauren Romano

A new job can be stressful enough without worrying that you’re going to make errors. Everyone makes mistakes because no one is perfect. The best thing that you can do is to put forth your greatest effort to not make any. If you’re starting a new job, there are some simple things that you can try in order to avoid making mistakes.

Learning from the errors that you’ve made in the past is one way to prevent mistakes at your new job. You should evaluate what was done incorrectly, why it happened, and how you can go about not doing it again. When you attempt to learn from all of your mistakes, you can help to prevent them from happening again.

Learning from errors made in the past is one way to prevent mistakes at a new job.
Learning from errors made in the past is one way to prevent mistakes at a new job.

If you’ve made an error, you should forgive yourself and move on. Dwelling on your mistakes doesn’t serve any purpose but to possibly shake your confidence. As long as you’re going to make every effort to avoid making mistakes again, you should try to put it behind you.

When you’re at your new job, you should make time to take a few deep breaths when things start to get hectic. If you’re stressed, anxious and tense you may start to make mistakes. Whether you’re at your desk, in an empty room or outside, deep breathing may help to calm you down so you can avoid making any errors.

Deep breathing may help establish a sense of calmness in an individual to aid in the avoidance of making any errors at a new job.
Deep breathing may help establish a sense of calmness in an individual to aid in the avoidance of making any errors at a new job.

From the moment that you’re hired you should start taking notes. Some employers will even give you quick tidbits of information during the interview. Take notes on how you should dress, office procedures, deadlines and any other relevant information in order to avoid making mistakes. You can look back on your notes whenever you need them so you don’t have to rely on your memory alone.

Taking notes may help individuals avoid mistakes at a new job.
Taking notes may help individuals avoid mistakes at a new job.

If you want to avoid making mistakes at your new job you should double check your work before turning it over to the next person. In some cases, it only takes a few extra minutes to look for any errors. It’s better to take a little time to review your work instead of taking chances by handing it in with possible mistakes.

It’s important to be confident and have faith in yourself no matter what happens. Instead of worrying about making errors, you should take things day by day. Be cautious and do the best that you possibly can in order to avoid making mistakes.

Discussion Comments

Potterspop

There are some great tips mentioned here. Another is to ask questions of your colleagues. You can be subtle about it, something like 'so how do you like to prepare for the weekly meeting?' can yield helpful tips and advice.

I also think it's good to double check instructions and get important points in writing. I've worked for people who bark orders and then forget what they said. It takes no time to send a quick email memo to confirm what was discussed.

Sometimes people forget that a new employee doesn't have all the background knowledge they do, and this can mean they assume you know things that you actually don't.

Acracadabra

@CaithnessCC - I totally agree that being aware of your weak points can help you avoid sticky situations.

One summer I was press ganged into helping a neighbor's kid with his English homework. I didn't bother to revise anything myself and overlooked several grammar mistakes he persistently made.

CaithnessCC

I found this article while searching for stories of people who have messed up at work. It's got some useful tips that I wish I had read before starting with my latest company.

Yesterday I went to make some photocopies and accidentally inserted the paper the wrong way. The result was a hundred copies of nothing, and I couldn't get the machine to stop.

Eventually I turned it off, but I could have avoided this stress by simply asking for help before using the copier. Machines are not my strong point, so I could have avoided this kind of mistake by educating myself.

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    • Learning from errors made in the past is one way to prevent mistakes at a new job.
      By: viappy
      Learning from errors made in the past is one way to prevent mistakes at a new job.
    • Deep breathing may help establish a sense of calmness in an individual to aid in the avoidance of making any errors at a new job.
      By: Antonioguillem
      Deep breathing may help establish a sense of calmness in an individual to aid in the avoidance of making any errors at a new job.
    • Taking notes may help individuals avoid mistakes at a new job.
      By: MarkFGD
      Taking notes may help individuals avoid mistakes at a new job.
    • Reviewing paperwork before turning it in my help individuals avoid mistakes at a new job.
      By: Kirill Kedrinski
      Reviewing paperwork before turning it in my help individuals avoid mistakes at a new job.
    • Someone who is anxious or tense may be prone to making mistakes.
      By: blanche
      Someone who is anxious or tense may be prone to making mistakes.