Starting a new job can present a range of emotions: excitement, nervousness, appreciation, etc. One pretty consistent feeling is the desire to get off to a good start.
Whether you are beginning your first job out of college, moving around within the industry, or starting on a new career path, here are a few ways to make your mark in your new position.
Become a Subject Matter Expert
One surefire way to make your mark and impress your supervisor and coworkers is to become a subject matter expert.
As the name suggests, a subject matter expert is a person who is an expert in a particular area or topic. Find a program, project, process, etc. within your line of business and LIVE IT.
Read up on the topic, attend training relating to it, and apply the knowledge you gain. The more you know, the more you can benefit the company by utilizing your knowledge and associated skills, and the more the people around you will notice.
Go Above and Beyond
One quick way to make a mark at your job is to be recognized as the person who always goes the extra mile. One way to do that is to get in early or stay late.
Doing this shows your level of commitment to the job, and conveys the message “I want to be here”.
Another way to go above and beyond is to ASK for work.
If you aren’t getting enough work or the kind of work you would like to be doing, talk to your supervisor and ask to be assigned to a project or inquire if there are any other ways that you can help.
These kinds of actions show your initiative and identify you as a go-getter.
Finally, a great way to take that extra step is to ask questions. When you are new to a job, you generally are afforded more leeway when it comes to this area, so maximize it.
Talk to people with various levels of tenure and rank, get to know what it is that they do, and learn from their experience. By asking questions, you exhibit your thirst for knowledge and professional development.
Find a Need and Volunteer to Help Fix It
There is no better way to make a lasting mark at your job than to find an area that needs improvement and make it better.
Whether it is an inefficient process, outdated technology, or a missing resource, locating and improving the situation can make you the golden child of your organization.
If you see a need or a gap, inform your supervisor (they may already have identified it and be working on a resolution) and come prepared with a plan to fix it!
Doing this shows initiative, commitment to the success of the company, and that you are able to think outside of the box, a skill that is always appreciated.
Make Yourself Indispensable
We all have talents that we use in our own lives to better us or those around us, and we should use those talents to help us at work as well!
Take something you are already good at that may not be in your job description and show how it benefits the business.
In your private life you may be a great editor, a web development guru, an SEO expert, or a wiz with PowerPoint, Visio, or Photoshop. Let these skills shine, especially if they are things you are not specifically paid to do.
When you do this, you show that you are not only multi-faceted, but you also make yourself an indispensable asset by adding benefit to the company outside the scope of your normal duties.
These ideas can help you get off to a great start at your new job. Whatever the position, taking steps like these show your value within the company and will help you climb the ladder much more quickly.
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