The Lower Mainland’s biggest job fair, the PICS 10th Annual Mega Job Fair and Business Expo, is just around the corner and with 1000 jobs to fill, you just might find your dream job while getting a head start on your career. But simply securing a job isn’t enough; you also must have the skills to excel in your job. Here are 10 important tips that will guide you in excelling at your workplace.
1. PUT IN EFFORT: There is a difference between doing your job and excelling at your job. You can easily do this by putting in an extra effort and by stepping up your game a notch or two. This is important in order to show your employers what you are capable of.
2. WORK HARD: You can choose to just show up at work and get through with the bare minimum, but that will not help you succeed and grow. In today’s world, not only do you have to show up and be at your job the full day (arriving on time and not leaving early) but you also have to put in a full day of work and effort. Remember to keep personal calls, emails, texts, and the like to a minimum and no personal social media please!
3. ACT PROFESSIONALLY: It doesn’t matter what your job is, it is important to be serious and focused and on task for everything you do. —Act professionally in all situations. There’s a time and place to fool around, and that should not be in the workplace. Successful professionals follow the rules and are courteous, friendly, and tactful. Dressing appropriately also emphasizes professionalism within the workplace.
4. POSITIVE ATTITUDE: You don’t have to force a fake cheerful attitude all the time — in fact, don’t or you might not be taken seriously — but having a positive and go, get’em sort of attitude is important. People are willing to work alongside with and help co-workers with a positive attitude. So keep promoting positivity in the workplace to make yourself and your other co-workers happy.
5. TAKE INITIATIVE: You may already be very good at your job and this is important but don’t you want to push yourself to the limit? Don’t you want to consider better and more efficient ways in which you could do your job or better ways in which your department could work cohesively? If yes, step up and make suggestions to your boss. However, do not mix up taking initiative by being a bossy know-it-all.
6. BE A GOOD TEAM PLAYER: To bring forth success into your workplace, you must have the ability to work well in a team setting. Look how well you work in teams, emphasizing issues such as communication, building relationships, and team success. For honest feedback, ask a few friends or co-workers of their opinion on you.
7. KNOW YOUR BOSS: You do not necessarily have to be best friends with your boss; in fact, you don’t really need to even like your boss. However, it is important to know your boss. If you are able to better understand how your boss thinks, acts, and manages, you will be able to better perform your job according to his/her expectations and tasks.
8. KNOW YOUR EMPLOYER: Some people work aimlessly at their jobs for years without truly knowing or understanding their employer’s values. Taking the time to understand your company’s goals, missions, strategies, and products/services will help you better fit your role within it while giving value and meaning to your work.
9. TAKE (CONSTRUCTIVE) CRITICISM: One of the most difficult things for all of us to learn is how to deal with constructive criticism, and to shape these critiques to help improve your job performance. Yes, some bosses are knick-picky, wanting everything done their way or not at all, but they are still bosses who are simply providing feedback in order to help you excel at work.
10. CULTIVATE RELATIONSHIPS: Maintaining good friendships with some of your co-workers usually provides more satisfaction within your job — this should result in greater motivation to perform your job to your greatest abilities when you are working side by side with people whose company you enjoy. Just remember to befriend the people who share the same positive values as you and are focused on excelling at their work as well.
By Wing Wing Fung