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We all like to think of ourselves as all-star employees, but here’s a reality check: While some workers appear to be riding an escalator to the top of the food chain, there are others whose professional growth simply isn’t what it should be. If you don’t know how to get ahead at work, chances are you may be one of these seven employee archetypes. These tips can help you make some moves.
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Pop quiz: What do Mr. Miyagi, Yoda, and Professor Dumbledore have in common? Aside from being pretty badass film icons, they’re each incredibly gifted mentors. True, the chances of meeting someone who can transform you into a karate master or Jedi Knight are slim. But you can find a career mentor in college to help show you the way forward.
“A mentor can help you establish your career direction and set long-term goals,” says Beth Zefo, senior human resources manager at MHI Shared Services Americas and co-author of Grad to Great: Discover the Secrets to Success in Your First Career.
And the great thing about being in a college environment is having access and exposure to so many people who are more than qualified to help guide you through the job search process, and later, the working world.
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Ready to start your first job? First, congratulations! The novel coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the job market in a wide range of industries, so the fact that you’ve landed a full-time job is a huge accomplishment, and it’s something worth celebrating.
Meaning, take full advantage of this opportunity to kick-start your professional development. Here are a number of steps you should take to make the most of your first job and set yourself up for a successful career.
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If you’re among the many people who are camera shy, it’s time to take steps to fix that. Your next job could depend on it, and not because we predict you’ll switch careers and get into movies or broadcasting anytime soon. It’s because video chat platforms are poised to change the way employers connect with job candidates. For FaceTime, Google Hangouts, Zoom, and Skype interview tips, read on to learn how to put your best face forward.
Video interviews can understandably be challenging for job seekers. “Some people just have a discomfort with being on camera,” says Pamela Skillings, a career coach and co-founder of New York-based Big Interview, an online job interview–training platform. “People may feel conscious about how they look on video, or they’re worried about whether their technology is going to hold up.”
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Ah, deadlines. Some professionals thrive on them, yet many people find them the most vexing of time-management tools. Nonetheless, when the clock is counting down on an assignment, you need to deliver—not crack under pressure.
“A client, co-worker, or boss isn’t just throwing out any old date of when they need something,” says Andrea Kay, a career consultant based in Cincinnati and author of This Is How to Get Your Next Job: An Inside Look at What Employers Really Want. “Your contribution fits into a bigger project and the pieces need to come together. So take your deadline seriously.”
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Congratulations: You’re awesome at what you do. But don’t prolong the celebration. To continue to learn, sharpen your skills, and advance in your career, you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone and tackle new ground. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself on the equivalent of a hamster wheel.
“Risks are a fundamental part of career progression,” says Denver-based career coach Jennifer DeWall. “If you never take risks, you won’t reach your full potential.”
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Just hearing the words “customer service” can make retailers and consumers cringe. Yet providing quality customer care is often what differentiates a company from its rivals. And when you have an angry customer, your skills (and patience) are put to the test. Time to pass that test with flying colors.
“With the digital disruption we’re having today, customer loyalty is really dropping for a lot of businesses,” says John DiJulius, a customer service consultant and author of The Relationship Economy: Building Stronger Customer Connections in the Digital Age. “The best differentiator you can make is to form an emotional connection with your customer. And when you think about the great customer service giants that are out there—[companies like] Disney, Southwest, Nordstrom, Apple—those companies do drop the ball on occasion, but when they make a mistake they make it right for their customers.”
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Professional networking is key to career development, but there are only so many hours in the day you can devote to it. Ideally, you’d keep in regular contact with your entire network so that your connections are on tap when you need them for, say, a reference or a job lead. But, alas, we’re all human, and things can get in the way of our even best laid plans.
“Keeping in touch with professionals in your sphere is a great thing to do, but more urgent tasks, like a pressing deadline, often take precedent,” says Devora Zack, CEO of Only Connect Consulting and author of Networking for People Who Hate Networking. “A lot of times, staying connected with people falls to the bottom of your to-do list.”
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Getting handed a pink slip and being told to pack up your desk and exit your office is a terrible experience, no doubt—but it happens. Companies have job cuts for a number of reasons, and oftentimes these layoffs aren’t a reflection of a worker’s performance, which means there’s little you can do to prevent the inevitable. The people who land on their feet, though, are the ones who can spot a layoff before it happens.
So, how can you tell if your job might be in jeopardy? Check out some clues that a pink slip may have your name on it in the near future—and what you can do to keep your career moving forward.
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Job seekers and employers alike care a lot about cultural fit, so when you’re asked in a job interview to describe your ideal work environment, you can be sure everyone in the room is interested in what you have to say. According to one survey, 88% of recruiters said cultural fit is important when assessing job candidates. Likewise, job seekers want to find a work environment that suits their personality and work preferences, says executive coach and HR consultant Paul Thallner. In fact, 73% of respondents to a recent Monster survey said they have left at least one job that wasn’t the right fit for them.
Knowing the type of work environment that allows you to thrive is half the battle. You also have to know how to answer the question without unintentionally knocking yourself out of the running for the job. Take these steps to prepare a well-crafted answer.
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Daniel Bortz 