10 Awesome Tips to Help You Shine at Work

Going to work takes up a large chunk of our time, why not make the most of it? Below are some top tips on how to help you shine and succeed in the workplace.

1. Work hard – Ensure you are always going above and beyond expectations. Although it’s acceptable to do just what your Manager asks of you, it’s nice to use initiative and go the extra mile, it will definitely be appreciated!
2. Act professionally – No matter what your job, it’s important to be serious and focused on what you do and act professionally in all situations. Professionals follow the rules and are courteous, friendly, and tactful. Acting professionally also means dressing appropriately for your job.
3. Take the initiative – You may be very good at your job and that is important, but do you ever try to push the limits of your work? Think outside the box, come up with new fresh ideas and share them with your team.
4. Be a good team player – To be successful in most jobs today, employees must also work well in a team. Review how well you work in teams, examining key issues such as communications, working relationships and team successes. For an honest opinion, ask your team members how they find working alongside you and improvements you can make.
5. Understand your boss – You don’t have to be best friends with your boss. You should, however, know your boss. In other words, the better you understand how your boss thinks, acts, and manages, the better you perform your job to his/her expectations and demands.
6. Take (constructive) criticism gracefully – One of the hardest things for all of us to learn is how to handle constructive criticism and how to use these critiques to improve our performance on the job. Most bosses are simply providing feedback so you can perform your job better… so you can excel at your work.
7. Cultivate relationships – Having workplace friendships with some of the people who you work with or near you is usually a positive element in job satisfaction, which should result in greater motivation to perform your job to the best of your abilities. Just be sure you make friends with positive people who, like you, are focused on excelling at their work.
8. Take opportunities to learn new skills – The longer we work at one job, the more likely we’ll get bored with it. One way around this problem is taking opportunities for additional educational and training when your employer offers them.
9. Be part of the solution – Don’t be the one who is always quick to point out the problems while offering no solutions. Instead, when possible, strive to be a problem-solver, they are a valuable commodity in every workplace.
10. Avoid gossip – It should go without saying, but we’re saying it anyway, that it’s always best to turn a deaf ear to gossip and rumours. No matter how good a worker you may be, getting caught in the web of gossip will quickly downgrade your standing with your boss and employer.

These 10 tips are simple, effective and help improve your career success trajectory, so there’s no time to waste, pick a tip to try out this week, get started, and watch yourself shine!

Source: Grace Bonner