5 Ways To Stand Out At Work During The Good And Bad Times

In good times and in bad, we are responsible for our careers and the difference we make at work. Don’t let job complacency or the fear of getting fired keep you from improving your career prospects, adding value to your company, and profiting from your work experience.

FOCUS ON CREATING SOLUTIONS
Don’t dwell on the obvious depressing facts of daily life. Focusing on the negative actually keeps you stuck in that negative state of mind. Instead of seeing limitations, focus on creating solutions for the problems you face.

Rather than saying, “Our current widgets vendor has raised their prices, taking us over budget for X project. We should axe the project to control costs.” say, “Our current widgets vendor has raised their prices. In order to keep us under budget, I’ve researched three other vendors with lower prices and I have a phone call scheduled to renegotiate prices with our current vendor.”

If you’re overwhelmed or having problems, be open to receiving aid and being proactive about the difficulties you face. You’ll endure less criticism if you confess your limitations early rather than waiting until problems arise. 

PRIORITIZE
Work on what is important and cut out those relationships and activities that waste your time, consume your energy and misuse resources. Talk with your superior to make sure that you’re on focused on the right projects and tasks and communicate goals with your direct reports. Confer with your team often to ensure you’re maximizing efforts on the right activities.

DEVELOP AND SHARE YOUR EXPERTISE

If you’re known for possessing knowledge in a niche field, build on it and share your knowledge with others. Get to know other experts and direct colleagues to these people if you cannot help them. Be a source of information and insight for those in your office and see how your reputation grows.

If you know a lot about computers, help your colleagues with their technology problems. If you’re gifted in sales, give other sales staff in your office pointers for closing. Whatever you excel, give away your knowledge and watch it capitalize itself in your favor. Becoming an expert makes you invaluable to the organization.

DON’T BE SHY
Standing out during tight times almost seems counter intuitive. Those who want to keep their jobs instinctively fall under the radar. This approach may work, but for only so long.

Nobody in the office will know you’re doing a great job unless you are fully aware of the value you bring to the company, create noteworthy results, and take credit where it is due. Send positive notes to your supervisor about recent successes. If you have something insightful to say during meetings or conversations, don’t be shy to voice your opinion. Offer insight and assistance to colleagues who are struggling with their work.

Additionally, don’t be afraid to remind yourself and others why you’re employed in the first place. As long as you are aware of the value you bring to your organization, you can justify why you deserve a certain compensation, benefits, and recognition for your contributions.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO LEARN
Don’t be afraid to learn new technologies, skills, or methodologies. Company success depends on the willingness of its employees to take on new responsibilities and learn as the market changes. If you need help or additional training, say so. Say proactive about your career and don’t let your job marketability fall by the wayside simply because you have a job and don’t need to focus on developing your skills.