These days, job security has become a thing of the past, so we all have to work that little bit harder to become irreplaceable.
In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different. ~Coco Chanel
We know we must be committed to the goals of the company and keen to do all we can to help the business thrive. But we also need to have influencing skills that will allow colleagues and managers alike to see us for the hard working and devoted individuals that we are. Continued hard work and dedication will eventually be rewarded with the chance to stand out amongst your colleagues and might eventually even gain you a promotion.
You must be doing more than just fulfilling the minimum requirements of your current position if you expect to start climbing the career ladder. You need to show that you are willing and able to work hard in your current position before you will even be considered for a new role that comes with more responsibility. You need to not only be thorough but also timely. There is nothing so frustrating to a manager is someone who is worried about every minute detail if the manager is interested in speed. Conversely, a manager who is looking for quality will not appreciate a quick sloppy job. Finding the right balance between speed and precision is key. The best course of action is to check with your manager to determine his expectations.
Toot Your Own Horn
Managers need to be aware of how hard you are working and the successes you are having. Raising awareness towards the work you are doing is key to getting some well deserved recognition. You need to stand out against colleagues and be recognized as a hard worker and someone that is an asset to the company. Some companies even allow employees access to the human resources reporting software, so you can track your own progress. If this is the case, be sure to include lots of tasks or projects that you have successfully completed and then when your year end review comes your manager will see all that you did throughout the year. This will show you in a favorable light compared to those who are slack in keeping their reports up.
If your company doesn’t have this system you have an even better opportunity to shine. Simply keep a log of all your successful projects and then email (or give) it to your boss shortly before annual reviews with a comment such as “just thought I’d pass along this reminder of all the projects I’ve done this past year.” You might think this would offend the manager but if done correctly he will appreciate it, because most managers hate doing performance reviews and you just made his job of doing yours much easier! (After all now he doesn’t have to remember all the things you did.) Guess how he’ll be feeling about you? Even if he likes the idea so much that he asks your colleagues for a similar list, will they be able to remember all that they did throughout the year?
Communication with colleagues is an important area because managers will look at how well you communicate and work with others. An employee that is easy to get along with and doesn’t cause problems is an important factor in a work environment, as this will correlate with the success you have when working with a team of people.
Take an interest in building your skills and increasing your knowledge base. Showing an interest in this shows how serious you are about progression and will showcase a level of commitment to the company and your role within the business.
Make sure you communicate any ideas and suggestions you have to your managers and your employer, they need to know that you are keen to work hard to achieve the company goals. Ideas may not be implemented but the fact you made them is appreciated and recognized.
You need to have a good relationship with your direct supervisor, if you can find ways to make them look good, they will be more likely to see your worth and you can ride their coattails as they move up.
Put the hours in, make sure you are going above and beyond typical requirements and work as hard as you can to achieve the best results in a reasonable amount of time. Two great articles about climbing the ladder of success are Joe and the key to success and Ray Was No “Norma Rae” He Understood Success.
See Also:
- Job Security
- How to be Motivated at Work
- The Path to Success: From Intern to Employee
- 10 Qualities that Make a Great Leader
Resources:
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