6 Ways To Stand Out In Your Career

Getting the respect you deserve.


Let's face it - we all want to be respected for the work we do. Of course, it's still nice to be liked at the same time, but the reality is that when you are respected as a professional, you will automatically garner goodwill. This type of professional respect is what helps you stand out as a person who knows how to get things done. Not only will this serve you well at your office, but when you find yourself looking for a new job, it can be the key to finding a new position quickly.


Respect is hard to earn and all too easy to lose. Check out these 6 tips for standing out in your career and earning respect:


Be dependable - While it's important to have great ideas and be motivated, being able to follow through on them is crucial. If you do what you say you are going to do and are someone that can be counted on to get things done, you will quickly earn the respect of your boss and co-workers. Show up on time, complete your work to the best of your ability and don't rely on others to clean up your messes.


Don't get caught up in office politics - Offices can become a hotbed of political maneuvering. Don't let yourself get caught up in it. There are times when you can't avoid it, so listen, smile and nod, but try to be as moderate as possible. I know it sounds easy, but it takes a lot of courage to not take sides when things get heated. Still, people will respect you for not jumping in at the first sign of dissent.


Treat everyone with respect - This should be a no-brainer. Treat everyone with the same degree of respect you want to be given. This means don't gossip, behave rudely or offend others. To take it a step further, go out of your way to treat even the victims of office gossip or those who aren't performing well with respect and kindness. Earn respect by being a good person and co-worker.


Accept blame and give credit - When you are praised for a job or project, be sure to give lots of credit to anyone who helped you. For some people, giving credit to others is really hard and they seem to think that it will diminish their star. The truth is that when you are humble and give credit and praise to others, your value goes up as well. Also, when the feedback is negative, be the first to accept blame, don't be quick to pass the blame to your team mates.


Learn to listen to feedback - Take advice from co-workers without getting defensive. Don't get caught up in the idea that you already know everything or that you have no room to improve. Listen to feedback with an open mind and try not to take it too personal. That doesn't mean that you have to agree with everything they say - far from it. Take what you can from any feedback and let go of anything you don't think is helpful.


Be careful about mixing business and professional lives - When you spend most of your time with your co-workers, it's easy to think of them as family. Bosses often like to talk about their offices as a "little family", but the truth is that they are not your family. It's always a good idea to keep your personal life and work life separate. Of course, there are times when a co-worker can become a close friend but even then, you run the risk of talking about work all the time and a personal dispute can become an office issue. So, avoid the problem by keeping a clear line between work and home.


Earning respect and being a leader is the best way to stand out in your career. Even if you find yourself looking for a new job, the respect of your professional network will help you find a new job faster.


What other things do you think should be on this list? Do you agree with these? Let me know in the comments.




By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for LogisticsJobsiteBlog and Nexxt, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.