February 21, 2016 |
You go to work everyday. You clock in. You work hard. You clock out. You pick up your paycheck after 2 weeks of work and the whole routine starts again. But what if it could be more exciting than that? You spend 50% of your waking hours at work each week. People with different backgrounds, skills, dreams and goals surround you. What if you started to look at work differently? What could you learn? How could you grow? What if it impressed your boss?
This is a great thing to do when you first get hired at a job. If you haven’t done it yet, just do it now. Set goals for yourself. Where do you want to be in 6 months, 1 year, and 5 years? How do you want to grow in this job? What skills do you need to acquire or improve? Make sure your goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely).
Don’t be afraid to speak up. Share your ideas with your co-workers and bosses. If one idea gets shot down, don’t let it keep you from continually coming up with more. Take risks, bosses like that.
This is key especially when starting at a new job. You should’ve researched them prior to being interviewed. However, that is just surface level information you learned on their website or by asking a few friends. Learn how the company works, where it will be in 5 years or 10 years. What is the company culture and the overall direction it’s going in?
Get involved in work activities. Go to company parties. You don’t want to be the person that nobody knows who you are. You also don’t want to be tagged as the “anti-social” one. Get involved in extra-curricular activities that your work offers. You’ll get to now more people across different departments.
Get to know the people you spend most of your day with. Find out who they are, what their dreams and goals are. Rub shoulders with the boss and don’t be intimidated by his or her title.
Get to work a few minutes early. When you first start a job you may not know exactly where to go. Arriving early will ensure you have time to ask questions, get to know a few people and find your way to where you need to go without stressing about being late.
7. Ask Questions and ListenNobody likes a know-it-all. Ask questions and be a learner. Don’t be afraid of looking stupid. Also, ask meaningful questions that are focused on how you can help grow the company or contribute to the bottom line. Employees that think like that get noticed.
Find out what your strengths and weaknesses are and work on those. Be honest about them and find ways you can partner with other people to improve in areas that you are lacking in. Take classes online to help further educate yourself in the skills you’ll need to be successful.
Take some time to find out what skills you’d need to get the next promotion. Take time outside of work to hone those skills. Use your new found skills in your current work. You’ll start to get noticed for going above and beyond.
Don’t be afraid to ask to work on new projects. Step up and let your presence be known. Take opportunities that are offered to you. This will give you the chance to apply the skills you’ve been learning in new environments and new ways.
Make a great first impression at your next job interview.
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