By Cindy Stephens
Most of us have not had time for spring cleaning in our personal or professional lives. Now, summer is here and we are enjoying time with family and vacations.
With summer almost behind us, it is time to get serious and evaluate your job performance and your career. Instead of floating through the upcoming months, take this time to look closely at yourself, your job accomplishments and put new life into your career.
The competition is tough today. Job security no longer exists! This is not the time to be taking it easy or relaxing. You need to be sure you are meeting the challenges to survive and prevail in today’s environment.
Have you seriously considered the difference between the top performers and those who are middle-of-the-road performers? In most cases, top performers bring a portfolio of experience, skills, and characteristics utilized in the performance of their jobs. How you are perceived by your bosses as well as your peers is often the single greatest factor in career advancement. The good news is that you are in charge of your career and your behavior. You have the opportunity to impact perception to your professional advantage.
Take time to review your skills, job performance, your relationships with your employer and peers, and consider how you are viewed as an individual and as an employee. You need to do what it takes to be valuable to your employer and set yourself apart from others!
This brief list may provide an opportunity for self-analysis and, potentially, a useful tool to see how your boss and others perceive you.
Reliable and Dependable
Do you arrive on time every day and complete your work on or before deadlines? Following instructions, policies, and procedures should be normal for most employees, but you would be surprised to find how many employees have been let go during staff cutbacks due to their lack of respect for following expected work hours and/or lunch breaks!
Exceeds Expectations
This quality is one of the highest measurements of achievement. Often, a manager’s perception of success or failure is determined by setting and exceeding your boss’s expectations. Do you do what it takes to get the job done (even when it isn’t “your job”), and do you go above and beyond what is expected? You should be known as a problem solver, one who takes the initiative. Procrastination adds to inefficiency and highlights poor performance, putting your career at serious risk.
Excellent Communication Skills
Verbal as well as written communications are in great demand today, and many employees have not accomplished the basic written and verbal grammatical skills that are needed for most business communications today. Excellent documentation, reports, and basic communication skills can make a difference in how you are perceived. If you have poor grammar, whether speaking or in writing, it gives the impression that you are lacking a basic education. Excellent listening skills fall in this category as well. Pay attention when someone speaks to you directly. Consider enrolling in a community college to polish up communication skills if you feel you are lacking in this area.
Excellent Manager and Leader
The ability to manage your time as well as manage and motivate a team is an important characteristic of a successful leader. Organizational skills and tidiness are important in setting an example for others and in getting the job done well. How well you plan and manage your daily activities provides you needed focus to complete job requirements on time. You should be seen as flexible, accepting change easily, especially when your plan changes and other requirements take over your day. You should be open-minded to others’ ideas and techniques and should not be opposed to criticism. Learn from your mistakes.
Enthusiasm and Commitment to the Organization
Taking the initiative inspires confidence in your ability to assume additional responsibility. Managers want people on their team who eagerly take on challenges and exhibit the kind of energy that inspires others to follow. There is no room for negative attitudes in any organization. Leave your personal problems at home and remain focused on meeting your company’s goals. Your ability to concentrate on your job responsibilities, no matter what is going on, indicates you are able to take on more responsibility and more importantly, are ready for the next level in your career.
Professional Appearance and Manner
You are not judged by your performance alone. Carelessness towards your appearance and daily grooming isolates you, regardless of your abilities. People shy away from associating with people who have sloppy appearance such as unkempt hair, wrinkled or stained clothing, or dirty, raggedy nails despite their expertise. It may not seem fair and it may seem unimportant, but you need to pay attention to this as perception is very important in this area! Just as important is your ability to remain professional at all times in your mannerisms. Avoid gossip and getting involved in office politics at all times. Treat others with respect regardless of your personal opinion of an individual. Always be seen as the ultimate professional in appearance and manners!
Loyalty
Employers want employees who will have a strong devotion to the company – even at times when the company is not necessarily loyal to its employees.
Integrity, Honesty and Confidentiality
You should be seen as the person who is always trusted to do the right thing, always. I cannot express this enough. You cannot be the person to go behind a person’s back and speak about another person, your boss, the company, or even a competitor. Maintaining strict confidentiality is a part of this and a person should not have to be told to keep information confidential, regardless of the individual involved or the situation. Everyone has a different portfolio of education, experience, skills and characteristics. Each person brings different levels of each of these traits to their respective positions. Excellent performance is expected, but if you have exceeded in every aspect listed above, it will separate you from coworkers.
The ability to view yourself and your performance through the eyes of your boss is a critical part of career development. In one’s career, perception is reality – and it should be actively and thoughtfully managed. No matter where you are in your career, there’s always room to improve your skills and position yourself for the next opportunity.
Now is the time to get serious. If you feel you need to adopt a new work philosophy after you have reviewed your skills, job performance, and your relationships with your employer and peers, then start now! Get your career in shape now and be ready when the opportunity presents itself. Ensure your skills and personal characteristics set you apart from the rest. Take the steps needed to keep your career on track. Here’s to your success!
