Being a successful employee is similar to running a sole proprietorship with low risk and limited customers. You listen around for what your primary customers (boss) wants to get out of you. Then, you learn and actually get yourself to accomplish the requested tasks. Here are 20 tips and more on How to survive and keep your job. Behave professionally . This is a business, not a playground. People talk, and workers know the difference between a person who is fun to work with and a person who is always fooling around. Fun means a good personality, a joke or two, and a smile. Fooling around is wasting your time and that of others, being frequently off-task, and often being seen standing in the workspace of others instead of in your own. 2 Learn to take criticism gracefully . It will provide you with valuable ideas about what people expect from you, any weak areas, and what you need to work on first. If a boss or coworker criticizes you in a way that hurts or angers you, wait until you cool/calm down and ask them if you can talk with them. Tell them how you felt, but tell them that you would like to fix the issue and want them to talk with you about what needs to be changed. 3 Learn to do your job, and do it well . Whether it's menial and tedious, or tough and high-paying, learn how to do the job, regardless of how