Professional Development
Seven ways get noticed (and get ahead) at work
The best way to get noticed is to know your stuff and be good at your job. However, sometimes this isn’t enough. Sure, you could broadcast your accomplishments to your boss , or the entire company for that matter, but if you’re like me you may prefer a more subtle approach.
Here are seven easy ways to get noticed:
1. Always have the bottom line in mind.
Suggesting ways to improve the bottom line will definitely get you noticed, especially if you have valuable suggestions. Your company is, no doubt, wanting to sell more with smaller costs - help them do that and you’ll be golden.
2. Suggest ideas to solve company problems.
No company is perfect, but you can help yours become a little more so by sharing some of your fabulous ideas. Warning: If you start suggesting too many ideas, especially if they’re never implemented, your coworkers will start to get annoyed with you. You can’t solve every problem - but you can solve a few!
3. Be accountable for your actions and mistakes.
Managers have a lot of respect for people who are accountable for their actions - both right and wrong. It takes courage to admit that you’ve made a mistake, and as painful as it is, you can turn it around by offering a solution to fix the problem.
4. Ask thoughtful questions.
If you don’t know something by all means ask! Your company would rather you ask questions than make a mistake. Warning: Much like ideas, questions can get out of hand if you ask too many or ask the same one many times. Don’t use questions as an excuse for not paying attention. That may get you noticed, but not in the way you want.
5. Learn to write better.
We all write a lot - emails, reports, meeting notes and so on. Others will have an easier time understanding your point if you write clear, concise short sentences.
6. Keep up with industry news.
Your boss does. You should, too.
7. Know the major news headlines of the day so you can join in conversations with clients and coworkers.
If you don’t care about sports or you’re not big on local news, at least skim the headlines so you are somewhat informed. You should be able to chime in a conversation after having read only the headline and the first paragraph of the story.
What subtle ways do you get yourself noticed?
Discussion
5 comments for “Seven ways get noticed (and get ahead) at work”
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a thought on writing emails.. I had a job once where the atmosphere was halfway between professional and “Friends.” I would get emails with a question as the subject line and a blank body. Nothing–NOTHING–is more irritating. That tells me “I have no time to write you an actual email, you are not important.”
Additionally, most people are annoyed by emails that don’t start with “Hello/Hi/Dear Josie” and end with “Thanks/Best/Sincerely Bill”. Always include a greeting and an ending.
Great points! I start every single email I write with “Hi (Insert name):” which is a habit I picked up from my boss when I worked as an intern. It’s a great habit to have. Thanks for your comment!
I thought these were all good good tips, and things that everyone should be doing in the workplace - no matter the generation. There are those (it’s no secret:they’re older) that sit so quietly and do as they’re told, years on end. It’s madness.
I think one tip there, and maybe it should be automatic given our “gen-Y” being - is that we should remember to be at least a little selfish once in a while. No, really.
One example for me was when I had to point out at a staff meeting that my name should be up there (powerpoint presentation) next to a project agenda, just like all the other names. I don’t believe it was embarrassing for the boss, and he apologized.
Oddly enough, I made a similar comment on (above) Kate Hutchinson’s blog.
8. Be occasionally selfish, and only in an intelligent manner. An extension of ‘Get Noticed’.
Thanks, t h rive. You’re absolutely right that there are people who have been doing the same thing, just as they’re told for years, and then wonder why some new Gen Y kid gets promoted over them! I think the seven (or eight!) tips help us see past the “just doing my job” mentality.
The selfish thing can be hard for me - even though I’m a Gen Yer - so thanks so much for bringing it up. I appreciate your comments.
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