I work really hard but I am not being noticed or acknowledged for my work. I think it is keeping me back from moving up the career ladder. How to fix this?
You may get overlooked for your efforts because you do such a good job and perhaps it is taken for granted. You may also work in an extremely hectic environment and as a result colleagues are too busy to notice how good you are. But if you are not at the top of people’s minds when new projects come up, promotions or additional responsibilities – you will be passed up. You need to be visible at work.
Document your Tasks
Whether your company does a performance review every six months or not, it does not matter. Keep track of all your tasks and achievements each year including those that were not on your job description or not mentioned in your last performance review. The document gives you evidence of your performance. You are better able to see your strengths, have positive discussions with your manager on what a great job you are doing and assess those areas that need improvement.
Take on more responsibilities
If you hear of an interesting project, volunteer to work on it. It is an opportunity to expand your skills and raise your visibility across the organisation. The success of the project will positively affect your reputation.
Come out of the shadows
You have great ideas but you share them on the sidelines over lunch or email them to colleagues who have to do the presentation. Sometimes you may be too shy to even speak up. It is important to receive credit for your ideas. Make a judgement call on what emails you should copy in your boss or ideas that are better to share in a two-minute chat.
Be a Specialist
If you are great at everything, you need to start focusing on specialist areas. Think of those skills the organization needs and work on them. Generalists are often overlooked. It’s a great start to be a generalist early in your career but as you move up the ladder you want to be seen as an expert.
Develop Soft Skills
If you are a technical person, keep in mind the importance of “soft skills” and work on them – communication skills, negotiation, conflict resolution and creative problem solving skills. Employers look at the soft skills and the potential you have to be a leader.
Help Colleagues and Network
Take the time to help people in and outside of work and build a relationship. Many people go into the office, work hard, stay quiet and get out. Take the time to walk around, listen to your colleagues, share ideas and offer to help. They are the ones that will recommend you to others.
Try some of these strategies this week and good luck!
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AskEve is Eve Anderson Recruitment’s column delivering answers to your questions on job hunting, careers, recruitment and workplace topics. www.eaastaff.com
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