Aiming for a promotion? It’s always important that your main evaluator (aka your boss) knows what you can bring to the table. Here are some 10 things your boss wants you to do:
1. Come to work prepared.
The start of the day is always the toughest. That’s why it’s important for all employees (yes, including the boss, too) to be ready before coming to work. Having the right disposition includes being able to settle in your office before tackling the deadlines, attending to customer complaints, and participating in meetings. Aside from having your presentations and worksheets on lockdown, do small and simple acts to prepare your body and mind for work. Do a morning routine that is sure to energize you like eating a complete breakfast and listening to good music. Have a cup of coffee to perk up your day! And this goes without saying, but get to work early. Getting to work early will give you time to stop and breathe first after battling the roads’ rush hour.
2. Check and answer your e-mails as soon as you can.
Communication is key to advancing your career. That’s why even if it’s so dreadful to answer the hundreds of emails you receive everyday, do it! Your boss will appreciate it if you get to the complaint e-mails first and offer solutions ASAP. But aside from that, read e-mails to keep tabs on what’s happening in your office. Reading e-mailed memos and daily reports will help you understand what’s going on. It’ll also help you see the big picture when your boss explains the current situation. Remember, your boss is your link to the upper management and the decisions that they make that surely affect you.
3. Avoid office drama!
Nobody likes drama. So when it comes to work, make sure to avoid it. If you have any personal issues with your co-workers, make sure to resolve them immediately. It’ll be better if it’s done outside work, but if it can’t be helped, make sure you’re working toward resolving the problem and not making it worse. It is also important that you update your boss about issues that may affect your work performance. Your boss needs to understand what had cause your poor performance. More importantly, your boss needs to know what you’re doing to resolve it.
4. Evaluate co-workers objectively.
When it comes to performance evaluations, your boss needs you to share your opinions about your co-workers. But make sure to leave out your personal opinion about your co-workers’ bad sense of style or annoying habit of singing too many Katy Perry songs. Keep your evaluations objective and professional. Make sure to share points that matter to your team’s performance. Your boss will value your opinions if you give impartial and objective evaluations. And in doing so, you will earn your boss’s trust.
5. Ask questions.
Got a task? Ask questions. It’ll save more time and effort if the expected output is clarified at an earlier stage. Asking questions are not limited to asking for the details of the tasks or the expected output. Continue asking questions like how will I do this task? How can I efficiently provide grade-A output? Of course, you don’t have to ask all of these to your boss. Try asking your co-workers or Google! Your boss will appreciate you clarifying expectations and giving deliverables on point.
6. Ask for help.
Speaking of asking your co-workers, don’t forget to ask for help when you need it. Remember that your performance will only be as good as your team’s success in completing targets. Having trouble with a formula in Excel? Ask your team’s Excel genius. Need an extra hand in creating reports? Ask your co-worker who has some extra time. Need to make a difficult decision? Consult your boss and your co-workers so you can get their perspective on the matter. Asking for help does not equate to you not knowing what to do. Instead, it’ll be a way to show your boss that even if there are difficulties, you can manage them because you know your own strengths and limits.
7. Offer help.
Of course, you should also help your co-workers. Offering help will show your boss your dedication to your team’s success. However, make sure that you’re only offering your help when you can spare some. Don’t go working on your co-worker’s tasks when you haven’t finished yours. Never hesitate to offer your help when you have the skills and time to do so. It’s an opportunity to showcase capabilities that you haven’t been using to complete your own tasks.
8. Be part of the solution, not the problem.
When the going gets tough, the tough thinks of solutions. If there are difficulties or bottlenecks that your team is experiencing, initiate solving the problem. Be proactive by proposing ways to solve the problems. Aside from solutions, contribute your opinions whenever you are in a brain storming session. Sharing your valid points will help the team look into different perspectives and solutions.
9. Continue learning.
There are companies that can afford to provide training and seminars to its employees. But for some companies that don’t, make sure to take charge of your career growth. Find opportunities to learn and grow to add more to your skills and knowledge bank. Start by asking your boss if there are opportunities within the company. Your boss may be able to send you to a seminar or assign you to a project which will give you the chance to learn a particular skill. Nonetheless, ensure your future by continuously learning.
10. Be your awesome self!
Don’t forget be awesome and give your best. There’s a satisfaction in knowing that you ended your work day by giving your 100 percent performance. Never hold back—whether it’s for a simple task or a huge project. By simply doing your best at whatever you do, your awesomeness will surely reflect in your performance evaluation.
These tips are simple but it’ll help you leave a good impression with your boss. Now, get back to work!