You don’t have to be a brown-noser to make yourself indispensable at work. If you want to improve your chances of a promotion while enhancing your job security, try winning over your boss without saying a word.
Continue your education
Yes, you already went through school and training programs to get the job you’ve got, but that’s no reason to rest on your laurels. Signing up for continuing education courses, certification classes or advanced degree programs sends the message to your boss that you want to grow with the company and keep up with the industry. Even if your company doesn’t offer education reimbursement, the courses you attend help expand your knowledge in a way that your boss can trust and depend on.
Dress your best
Just because other people in your office get away with wearing slouchy pants and wrinkled blouses doesn’t mean that you should, too. If you arrive at work looking professional and well-groomed, your boss will know that he can count on you to represent the company well. Make a point to wear tailored, pressed and clean clothing to work every day. You may be surprised to find that when you dress professionally, you end up acting more professionally, too.
Clean your space
You may know exactly where everything is among the jumble of documents on your desk, but your boss doesn’t necessarily know that. If all your boss sees when she walks by your office is clutter, she may assume that you’re disorganized, sloppy or unprepared. Spend five to 10 minutes at the end of every day simply organizing your space. This helps convey a sense of organization to those around you.
Be on time
Most bosses could sum up their opinions of consistently late employees in a single word: “disrespectful.” If they had several words to describe these employees, they might add “poor time management skills” and “disorganized” to the list. If you’re trying to win over your boss, those are not words you want describing you. Make a point of always being on time for meetings, appointments and other work-related events. It’s even better if you can show up five to 10 minutes early. Work is not the time to be “fashionably late.” If you must be late due to extenuating circumstances, be considerate and call your boss to let her know. If your boss knows she can trust you to always be on time, she’ll know she can trust you to be prepared for other assignments as well.
More on the Workplace:
6 Ways to secure your next raise
How to interpret the workplace dress code
Dress to impress: How fashion can affect your career
Leave a Comment