Since I obtained my working papers from my high school I’ve worked several different jobs, and while I may not have the same amount of life experience that some people have had, the one thing I’ve learned from these jobs is that to succeed at your job, you have to succeed in the workplace. For me, succeeding in the workplace doesn’t just involve doing what you’re told to do; if you want to succeed in the workplace, you have to step out of your comfort zone and work to excel at all aspects of your job. Whether it’s interacting with clients, connecting with coworkers or just doing just that little bit extra that takes you from “reliable” to “irreplaceable”, making yourself an integral part of your workplace is fundamental in the path to success. Today, I’ve come up with some tips, some from my own experience and some from reliable media sources, that you can implement into your everyday routine to help further yourself down the path of success.
Make friends!
An obvious tip, but it’s one that’s helped me immensely in the past. Building relationships with coworkers is one of my favorite parts of a new job. I may not be the most outgoing person, but I’ve found that making friends at work doesn’t just make everything more fun, it helps to make me more efficient. Work becomes less of an individual task and becomes more of a concise group effort. I’ve always believed that if you can get along with someone personally, then you can work well with them professionally, and so far I’ve had success with that belief.
Show up Early
For every job that I’ve worked at, showing up a little bit early has been extremely helpful in making myself a valued member of a team. Not only does it convey that you’re willing to put the extra time in, but it can open up opportunities to learn about what gets done before everyone else shows up. If you do it consistently enough, your supervisor will be happy to give you a little extra responsibility, and a little responsibility can go a long way.
Ask and Listen
Familiarizing yourself with workplace norms and the daily process of your new job is much easier when you take the time to ask for advice from some of your more senior co-workers. Listening to what they have to say. Sometimes, you may not even ask for advice when they give it to you and it may seem a bit patronizing, but in reality, all they want is for you to succeed. Everyone else in your workplace got to where they are by figuring out how the workplace operates, so any advice they give you shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Be Resourceful
While you should feel free to ask your bosses and coworkers for advice at any time, you should also try your best to figure some things out on your own. You’ll have plenty of resources at your disposal and plenty of support should you need it, but approaching your work in your way shows that even while you might be new, you can certainly handle yourself.
Have Confidence!
The most important tip that anybody can get is to have faith in yourself. You were hired because your employer believed that you could bring to the workplace that nobody else could. They want to see that you have as much faith in your abilities as they do, and as long as you apply yourself to the job and work as hard as you can, adapting to a new work environment should be no problem at all!