Put Your Best Foot Forward & Keep It There

Jennifer Fry
Careerminds Consultant

Whether you’re currently employed or you’re going through career transition, your goal to make the right impression is the same. Unless you’re your own boss, you know how important it is to display to them your best efforts– these are the people who are ultimately in charge of your employment status and career advancement, after all. There’s no good reason not to impress them.
Of course you need to fulfill your duties as expected– that goes without saying– but there are other ways, extra little efforts that can help you climb the ladder of success.

1. Know your boss’s objectives. Be aware of the goals your supervisor has set for the company, the department, etc. so that your efforts and skills can be directly applied to achieving them. Additionally, this knowledge will help you to help him/her. Devise simple solutions to the problems associated with these goals and demonstrate measurable results that will put you and your boss ahead.
2. Be proactive. In addition to your regular responsibilities, seek out tasks. You’re expected to complete your usual duties, anyway, but taking on extra work to help out will only boost your image around the office. Don’t wait to be told what to do– ask how you can help. Also, take it upon yourself to learn new skills and stay ahead of the curve in your industry.
3. Be low maintenance. In other words, don’t cause trouble. You don’t want your boss to have to keep you under close watch, and neither does he/she. That being said, it is inevitable that something will come up– an issue will be created accidentally– and when it does, take it upon yourself to go to your boss with the problem and the possible solution.
4. Ask when you do not know. You are not expected to know everything, and when that rare moment arises in which you do not know something, it’s ok to ask. It’s actually preferable to ask, particularly when the alternative is to do something incorrectly. Never make assumptions that could derail your success. If you don’t want to ask your boss directly, find another “go to” person in the office who is willing to help you out.
5. Take note of the way you are evaluated. If you know what you’re being evaluated on, you’ll know where to focus your efforts. That is not to say you can then slack off in other capacities, but maybe put forth a little extra effort in those that are being more closely watched. In addition, keep track of your marks and use that feedback to improve.
6. Get along with others. This harkens back to being low maintenance. Be respectful of other people’s work habits, and know when it’s ok to goof around a little, and when it’s time to get down to work. After all, it isn’t your only goal to impress the boss– a truly impressive employee is held in high regard by everyone.

So, do you want to impress your boss? Of course you do! And one of the best ways to do that is to follow these suggestions– in short, go above and beyond what’s expected of you, and you’re sure to leave a good impression.

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Careerminds provides scalable, strategic solutions to organizations seeking affordable, web-based outplacement services. Using a Web 2.0 e-learning platform that delivers affordable, online career transition services, Careerminds provides a high-tech and high-touch blend of on-demand career transition education supported by senior-level career consultants to help displaced workers reenter the workforce quickly.

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