[Blog 15] How To Impress Your Boss

Since 1958, National Boss Day on October 16 has been an annual unofficial holiday for employees to show gratitude to their supervisors. Believe it or not, the key to improving your work life lies in your boss, since he or she possesses the most control over your daily activities. Impressing your boss can really make the difference—especially in an unpredictable economy where it can be the deciding factor between keeping your job and getting laid off. However, a simple cup of coffee or a handwritten gift card might not do the trick.

Here are several attributes to inculcate in your working attitude and win your boss’s approval:

Be proactive

A good way to stand out immediately from your counterparts is by taking initiative in areas that can benefit the business. Apart from handling your current responsibilities well, it helps to overstep your boundaries a little and take up additional tasks that might need doing. If you have a winning idea that may actually deliver, do not be afraid to bring ideas to the table and speak up on how operations can be improved. Take the risk and you might just be on your way to score a win with your boss. After all, fortune favors the bold.

Score the small victories

It’s always the little things that everyone in the workplace tends to overlook. It could be an organizational matter that is often neglected, or a maintenance issue like the cleanliness of the pantry. It doesn’t hurt to take a few seconds to spruce up the general common area for the benefit of everyone else. As insignificant as these tasks might be to you, simple office etiquette doesn’t necessarily go unnoticed.

Prove you can be trusted

Despite the fact that younger employees rarely remain with the same company for life, there shouldn’t be any reason stopping you from making decisions in the long-term interest of the company. To be valued as an employee, it is important to find a way to align your personal developments with the company’s so they know they can count on you to help the business grow.

Keep calm and smile

No boss wants to walk into an office and see his team look like they are walking to the gallows. Not only does it reduce morale and impede productivity, it also sends an impression that there might be shortfalls with his or her management. If there is, there’s probably an important conversation you need to have—but that does not justify you going around looking like you’re mourning the deceased. A smile might go a long way to make his or her day.

The act of showing up for work alone isn’t enough to propel your career advancement. Your boss’s perception of you can affect your salary increases, opportunities for visibility and even advancement in the organization. At HRguru®, we can help you to prove that you’re an asset to the team and earn the attention and respect of your superiors. Contact us about our Career Counselling service and learn more about how we can assist you!