Tips on How to Impress Your Employer

Regardless if you are an intern, new employee or have been with a company for awhile, it is your responsibility to show your supervisor and others within the organization that you have what it takes, both personally and professionally to fit in and succeed with the company. Listed below are some tips that professionals can utilize to increase their chances of making a good impression on their employer: Dress for Success It is important to dress professionally at work. Employers appreciate workers that take pride in their job, and by taking the extra step to look your best, you demonstrate that you take your position and company seriously. Play by the Rules The best way to be viewed as a valued employee is to act like a valued employee. • Arrive to work and meetings on time. • Avoid taking extended lunches or leaving early on a regular basis (and when you do make sure it is approved by your supervisor). • Become familiar with company policies and guidelines. • Limit personal phone calls, Internet activity and personal business while at work. Get Your Hands Dirty Many times you will be asked to work on some less-than-glamorous projects, which is part of paying your dues in your industry and company of choice. • Willingly and enthusiastically take on any task given to you (even if it entails a full day of photo-copying or grabbing your boss a cup of coffee). • Put a smile on your face while tackling easy, repetitive tasks – it will show managers and co-workers that no job is too big or too small for you to handle. • Once you prove that you can handle the small stuff, many times employers will begin to trust you with more responsibility and it can open up the door for bigger and better projects. Go Above and Beyond Going above and beyond the call of duty is the key to standing out in your job, as well as demonstrating your worth to a company. • Develop a list of goals to achieve in your position. • Show initiative by offering to come in early or stay late when needed. • If a co-worker is extremely busy, ask what you can do to help out. • Attend after-hour company events. • Proactively seek company needs that are not currently being addressed, and pitch a new project or add to your list of duties, such as organizing, researching, proofreading and filing. • Ask for input on your performance so you can continue to improve or modify certain tasks to ensure your success at the company. • When you don’t understand something, ask questions. This shows that you have a genuine interest in developing your knowledge and skills relevant to the job. Make an Effort to Get to Know Everyone The relationships that you build in your current position could potentially affect your job search for many years to come so it is important to make an effort to build a strong network or professional contacts. It’s a small world out there! • Take the opportunity to get to know senior people at your workplace. Set up 5 minute meetings with key managers to talk about their role within the company. This will not only help you to learn more, but it will serve as a good introduction and perhaps open some future doors. • In most companies, it is the senior level people that make the final decisions on new hires, so it is beneficial to express your interest in the work that you have been doing and also let them see some of your personality. • Show your ability to work well in a team environment by developing relationships with co-workers. Many times before hiring, management will ask employees only 1-2 years above you for their opinion on whether or not they think you would be a good fit for the company, so it is important for you to get to know workers on every level. Stay in Contact When you decide to move on to a new job, it is important to maintain contact with your previous supervisor and co-workers by periodically emailing, calling or setting up a quick get together. This will allow you to gain insight on when a job becomes available within your previous company, as well as give you the opportunity to learn about job openings at other companies that they may have heard about through their network of contacts.