Career Advice - Build Better Work Habits

Build positive work habits by continually searching for ways to improve yourself and the way you do your job.

• Correctly interpret and follow directions.
• Pay attention to every detail and step.
• Learn the why behind the tasks you perform.
• Look for ways to increase your productivity.
• Meet daily goals, quotas, and deadlines.
• Assess how you perform tasks and determine if there is a better, cheaper, faster way to do them.

Prove you are a competent, resourceful employee by performing your job efficiently and accurately.

Provide Excellent Customer Service to Add Value

Whatever happened to customer service with a smile? It seems to me it is difficult to find it some days. Adding value to your boss and company might be as simple as providing the best customer service. Customers mean business. Repeat customers mean business is going well. Put forth your best customer service efforts if you want to succeed in the business world.

• Focus on the customers' needs and concerns.
• Watch for nonverbal clues customers provide.
• Develop a personal connection with customers.
• Be knowledgeable about your products and services so you can provide accurate information.
• Anticipate problems and concerns.

By treating customers with care and personal attention, you will go a long way toward making yourself valuable to your employer.

Add Learning Something New to Your Goal List

It is important to keep your mind stimulated by learning something new. Learning can take place in formal and informal situations. The main idea is to grow professionally.

• In meetings concentrate on any information related to your position and duties. Think of ways to apply the information to your tasks.
• Be open-minded when others propose ideas even if those ideas do not pertain to you. Perhaps a variation of the ideas can be applied to your tasks.
• Listen to and ask questions of coworkers who are more experienced than you.
• Attend professional organization meetings and seminars.
• Research online.
• Listen to news programs and read newspapers and company newsletters.
• Learn as much as you can about your company and its products and services.

To attain career success, it is important to grow and develop by continuously learning new things.

Be Enthusiastic About Your Job and Your Career

Did you see the recent Academy Awards acceptance speeches? Now those actors and actresses displayed enthusiasm for their jobs. The smiles, the tears, the thanks--all reflective of the heart and soul poured into a job and the culmination of it over a career. Too bad we can't be as enthusiastic about our jobs. Or can we? What would make you gush about your job? Can you do something to get that feeling if you don't have it? If you have lost it, can you get it back? Yes. Enthusiasm is something we control by making up our minds and doing it.

• Look for ways to project enthusiasm--smile, speak positively, surround yourself with upbeat people, etc.
• Find ways to enjoy your work.
• Create passion in all you do and say.
• Embrace work and life with an open mind.
• Excite others about what you do and how you do it.
• When you feel your enthusiasm fading, rejuvenate yourself by taking time for yourself, having fun, spending time with friends, relaxing, and appreciating yourself and all you have accomplished.

Create your own passion; and show it with a winning smile, enthusiastic voice, and positive words.

Continued Career Success

Here are additional ideas for making yourself indispensable to your employer and increasing your career success.

• Do more than is required of you. Be willing to take on additional responsibilities. Offer to assist coworkers and your supervisor.
• Update your skills. Keep up with the latest technological developments that affect your skills and the way you do your job.
• Think quality in all you do--your work, your dealings with others, your attitude, your dress and mannerisms, etc.

Little things often make the difference when it comes to building a great career.

Career Success is in the Ideas

If having a successful career is on your goal list, take steps to assure your success by making a positive contribution to your company.

• Don't wait for someone else to come up with good ideas. Become an idea person who offers suggestions for saving the company time and money.
• Search for ways to become more proficient at what you do. Can you perform your tasks better?
• When you have a problem, look for a solution by brainstorming ideas.
• Share ideas with your boss and coworkers; listen to the ideas other people contribute. Work as a team to put the ideas into practice.

Sometimes your ideas and suggestions will not be accepted. Because there are a number of variables that affect the implementation of ideas, do not be discouraged. Keep contributing.

Evaluate

As February gives way to March, take time to evaluate how you are progressing toward your goals.

• Re-do deadlines and action steps if necessary.
• Commit time to reaching a goal.
• Address problem areas and look for solutions.
• Become passionate about reaching your goals.
• Challenge yourself daily.

By making sufficient changes, you can reach goals faster and easier.