Were you finally starting to feel confident at work when your supervisor out of the blue decided to change your job duties? Many people can identify with this scenario. Even though the thought of starting over and learning a completely new position might be scary, you can always turn a challenge into an opportunity.

Use these tips to view the whole situation from a different perspective and use it as a learning experience:

Talk to your supervisor. If you were given more responsibilities, it may be because your employer has confidence in you. However, if some of your previous functions were taken away, you should ask your supervisor for the reasoning behind their decision in a professional way.

Use the opportunity to learn and improve. If the change was based on your performance, it’s an opportunity for you to grow as a professional and seek for ways to remain a valuable contributor to the company.

Maintain an optimistic attitude. Avoid complaining about your new job functions. Besides making you look bad, it won’t improve the situation. Consider your new responsibilities as a positive change.

Make sure you can carry out the new duties. The job functions that were given to you may be out of your area of expertise. Offset this situation by identifying the skills you’ll need and look for ways to get the necessary training.

Remind yourself that change is inevitable. You won’t be able to control your position in the company, but you certainly can control your attitude and adapt to new challenges. Having a good attitude may reward you in the long run.

 At Burchard and Associates, a premier St. Louis recruiting firm, we can help with your career advancement. Visit our website or contact us to help you succeed!