15 Ways to Stand Out at Work
By: Christine Hammond
LMHC
Jennifer
thought that once she got into a field she enjoyed, her upward mobility would
be guaranteed. It wasn’t. Frustrated by the competition in her office, she
wondered if all the hard schooling was worth the effort. Things were not
working out as she planned and her dreams of owning her own firm someday were
quickly crashing.
Worse
yet, her first review at work wasn’t good. Her boss said Jennifer lacked a solid
work ethic which was holding her back from achieving. While she was capable of
the work, she wasn’t giving it her all and the quality of her showed it.
Jennifer’s first response was to be defensive and then blame her boss for
unreasonable expectations. But after she had some time to consider the points,
Jennifer knew she had to change.
The
problem was Jennifer didn’t know what to change. So she sought out counseling
to improve at work. Here is what she learned.
1. Show up early. An old English proverb says, “The early bird
catches the worm.” By getting into the office early, any crisis that developed
overnight can be handled timely. This is also a good time to manage time
wasting emails so the rest of the day can be more productive.
2. Stay late. This doesn’t have to be an everyday event, but
staying late a few days out of the week on a regular basis is helpful. This
shows dedication to work and a willingness to go above and beyond.
3. Be consistent. One of the greatest challenges at work is to do
a job consistently well. Don’t do some tasks better than others. Strive to do
well in all areas of the job’s expectations.
4. Be present. Too often work time is used for personal time
and personal time is used for work. Having clear lines between the two will
keep exhaustion down to a minimum.
5. Do more. Take what is expected and do 10% more. This slight amount
done over time will greatly increase the overall work product.
6. Seek mentoring. In every profession, there are people who have
achieved a higher level. Seek out a mentor that is accomplished and willing to
share their wisdom.
7. Develop relationships. It takes a bit of effort to make
relationship with people who might not be within a normal circle of friends.
But this is one step that is worth the effort. Having solid relationships with
other people at work can be a useful connection later on.
8. Be kind. Regardless of the position of a person, be kind to
everyone. Nothing gets around an office faster than gossip about unkind
behavior.
9. Keep learning. There is always something new to learn. Those
who succeed look for opportunities for growth and continued education. Consider
studying outside of the current area of work to increase future job
opportunities.
10. Work hard. A hard worker is someone who gives their all.
No matter how they feel or what is going on in their personal life, they still
give their all at work.
11. Work smart. In every job there are opportunities to become
an expert in one or two areas. Working smart is narrowing down this focus to
become invaluable at work.
12. Embrace criticism. Instead of running away from criticism or
seeing it as a failure, embrace the critique. Take away one thing that can be
improved and concentrate on it until it is mastered.
13. Stretch beyond comfort. In every job there are times when
opportunities arise that are beyond the normal job opportunities. Stretching
past a comfort level demonstrates a willingness to try new things and expand.
14. Use humor. Even tense moments can be lightened with a bit
of humor. This is not about being the office clown but rather having a bit of
levity at work.
15. Be patient. Patience is a virtue especially at work. Be
patient with self as well as others. Remember everyone has opportunities to
learn and develop and not everyone will grow at the same pace.
To
get noticed at work, try these 15 suggestions. A strong work effort brings a
sense of satisfaction from having performed well. This is
the best reward.
To schedule an
appointment with Christine Hammond,
Please call our office
at 407-647-7005.
