"...na na why don't you get a job?"

I have a few friends who knit and blog and we've decided to embark on a blog project that has nothing to do with knitting. We're going to take turns coming up with a topic every Thursday and we each have to blog about it by the end of that day and post links to each other's blogs so that people can see our different perspectives on the same topic.
-Thanks to Merryland Girl for this explanation of the Thursday Blog Project.

This week's topic comes from Tracey @ Froggie Knits Like Crazy

"one of my favorite parts about my life is . . ."

Other contributors to the Thursday Blog Project are:

Merryland Girl

Desperate Madness

One of my favorite parts about my life is...

My work ethic, and how much it has changed.

Until a few years ago, I made up every possible excuse to miss work or even to quit a job.

I was very much "The Boy Who Cried Wolf", I had flat tires, car troubles, illness, illness in my family - all of these made up.

I was chronically late to work, and after awhile, no one believes your excuses any more.

I have lost more than one job in my working years from absenteeism, or tardiness.

The thing is that I have always been good at my job - no matter what I was doing. I just couldn't get there on time.

I had made up excuses to leave work early, come in late - I've made excuses that I won't even repeat because they are AWFUL.

It wasn't until I spent 5 months out of work that I had an epiphany: If I hadn't bullshitted my way through so many jobs, I would probably still be employed right now.

I took a long, hard look at myself and wondered "Is this how I want to live my life? Jumping from job to job, temp agency to temp agency until I have burned all my bridges?"

I received a job offer in July 2009 to work at an online payroll company in Schaumburg, IL. The pay was several dollars lower than what I was used to making, and the drive was further. However, after being unemployed and having no unemployment benefits for almost 6 months, I decided to give it a shot.

I went to a group interview determined to dazzle my potential employers and made a promise to myself that if I got this job, I would use this opportunity to pull my reputation out of the dumps.

Well, I dazzled them alright!

And after 8 months on a temporary position, I was hired permanently.

There was a substantial pay raise and a benefits package that is OUT OF THIS WORLD.

It wasn't hard to change my ways, and being on time wasn't as hard as it used to be. I love my work and my co-workers, so unless I am truly sick - I never miss a day. There were a few times when I tried to go to work, got there and got sent home for looking like death.

When I have called in sick, no one assumes that I am lying - when I come back, they are genuinely concerned about my wellbeing. There is a lot to be said for being trustworthy.

At my mid-year review, my supervisor was going over my performance and said that my attendance was outstanding.

I made her repeat herself and wanted to cry, because in my entire life no other employer had ever said that before.