Most people work very hard to land their dream jobs, but that is often only the beginning. If you have recently started a new job with a great company, you need to find a way to make yourself indispensable and secure your long-term employment. Many people simply show up to work, do their tasks as required, and clock out.
This is especially true for those who have been at the company for a long time and have lost their motivation and interest in their jobs. Unfortunately, these employees could be the first in line for a layoff when times get tough at the company.
If you are a highly-valued member of the team, you will probably be able to survive when your company has to trim some fat from the payroll. Are you trying to become a successful and indispensable employee that your bosses absolutely love? If so, check out the great tips below.
Focus On Self-Improvement
The popularity of podcasts like The Re-engineered You shows that people are done with meaningless motivational speeches and generic self-help on staying positive. If you have listened to this podcast, you are familiar with how a blend of science and history is used to dispel a variety of self-help myths and misconceptions.
Nowadays, there are more effective ways to better yourself in the real world. If your main goal is to become a successful employee, it’s important to continually be looking at how you can improve your skills. The best way to do this is by continuing your education and developing your skills so you can bring more to the company you work for. This could mean enrolling in courses on your own time, keeping up with the most updated best practices in your field and looking for new trends.
If you work for a company that provides opportunities to continue your education, don’t pass them up. The time and energy you invest in growing your skills and educating yourself will pay off when you are able to start moving up the corporate ladder. Not to mention, this shows your bosses that you are motivated to grow with the company.
Make New Connections
There are more than 127 million full-time employees in the United States. If you want to catch the attention of your boss and other members of management, you need to be engaging and friendly. Ideally, you want every member of upper management to know who you are and what type of work ethic you have. Accomplishing this goal will require you to step out of your comfort zone and engage with new people whenever you get the chance.
Not only do you need to go to company events to meet people who are higher up the corporate ladder, it’s important to stay connected to those on your own team and new employees alike. Platforms like LinkedIn provide professionals with the opportunity to connect with other people in their industries, which will help you grow your network. Having a presence on this popular platform is also a great way to grow your personal brand.
Speak Up During Meetings
Attending meetings is something most American workers are quite familiar with. While some think of meetings as dry and boring, you should consider meetings as opportunities for you to shine. Instead of quietly sitting by and listening, make your presence known by asking questions and speaking up when asked for feedback. This is also your chance to share your ideas or knowledge you have gained in your own personal development work.
Before a meeting starts, take a few minutes to develop a list of questions or concerns you want to raise. Getting organized before the meeting allows you to speak up at the right time, when it is appropriate to do so. Having a list of questions also helps you stay on track, which means you can avoid wasting time during the meeting. While speaking up is important, it’s also important to be mindful that you don’t take over the meeting, or contribute so much that the meeting runs over its allotted time.
Be Willing To Work Overtime
The United States is currently in the midst of a worker shortage. Since the end of the mandatory quarantine, many people have chosen not to reenter the workforce. This has led to a number of businesses being short-handed and looking for employees. If the company you work for is currently operating with a skeleton crew, you need to do all you can to pitch in and help. Showing your bosses that you are willing to go the extra mile in tough times will help you get promotions and recognition in the future.
When you are offered overtime by your boss, you should take it if you can. Working more will also add some money to your paycheck, which is always a good thing. By showing your bosses that you are reliable and willing to help, you also make yourself an indispensable member of the team.
Learn How to Take Constructive Criticism
Performance evaluations provide business owners with the opportunity to assess how productive their team members are. During these evaluations, a business owner will go over the strengths and weaknesses that their team members have. Most people enjoy hearing praise during these evaluations, but it can be hard to accept criticism or hear how you need to improve.
Not only is it important to listen to this feedback, you should actively take steps to do better for the next evaluation. If you don’t, your growth as an employee will become stagnant, which can eventually lead to you losing your job.
Learning to accept constructive criticism means listening without getting your feelings hurt. If you receive criticism about how you handle certain parts of your job, you need to work on improving them. Doing this will show your bosses that you are passionate about becoming a better employee. Your main goal should be acing your performance evaluation and getting a promotion. Accomplishing this goal will require both hard work and attention to detail.
Start Implementing These Tips Today!
As you can see, there are so many things you can do to become a successful and indispensable employee. Getting the job is only the first step – getting to where you want to be in your career will take time and perseverance. Slowly implementing the tips here will help you become a better employee and an important member of the team for years to come.
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