How to Be a Star in a Post-Pandemic World (it's easier than ever)

Thought of the Week:

Never in the past fifty years has it been easier to distinguish yourself in your profession and impress your employers and bosses.?With so many people staying home or working remotely, and seemingly prioritizing their short-term happiness over their longer-term career advancement, the bar for standing out at work is at an all-time low. This creates an incredible opportunity for younger people in the workforce. ?Here is all you need to do to be a superstar:

1.??????Go to work. Five days a week.?You know, like everybody used to do without a second thought up until three years ago.?For many people, the paycheck has become today’s “Participation Trophy”-- ?a guaranteed reward just for being on the team -- except you don’t even need to show up to get this trophy.?Seize the opportunity to stand out today by just doing the bare minimum that was expected of everybody back in 2020.

2.??????Do more than what has to be done.?The managing partner of an Am Law 100 firm once relayed to me a conversation he had with one of his partners.?The other partner was a habitually low hourly biller.??One day, the managing partner asked his partner “How do you decide when it’s time to stop working every day?”?The partner responded, “I go home when I’ve finished all the work that had to be completed that day.”?The managing partner asked him “Aren’t there other things you could do each day that would help you generate more business, provide more value to your clients, make you a better attorney or advance your career?”??I think too many young people today are calling it a day as soon as they finish their “must do” tasks but are failing to do the other things that will enable them to reach their full potential and truly advance their career.?Make a list of all of the “extra” things you can be doing each day over and above that day’s work deadlines and put in an extra hour or so to accomplish some of these tasks before signing off.

3.??????Show your interest in the long-term.?Many people today are, through their actions, prioritizing the “life” half of the work/life balance and, in the process, may be giving their bosses the impression that they are not particularly interested in a long-term future with the company.?Make sure to discuss your long-term goals and objectives with your superiors and ask what you need to do to be successful.?Remember, the employer/employee relationship is just that – a relationship.?As in all relationships, the people on both sides need to feel appreciated and often want some evidence of commitment.?You, the worker, are getting unprecedented freedom and flexibility today. What are you giving your employer in return??If your employer doesn’t sense that you are as committed to them as they are to you, they may eventually seek a new, more attentive and appreciative partner when the opportunity arises.

4.??????Give your bosses some credit. Not everyone is putting in a full work week while staying away from the office.?Trust me, your bosses know who these people are.?In a tight labor market where it is extremely hard to replace workers, 70% productivity might be better than having a position go unfilled.?However, when the economy changes (maybe some high-profile bank failures, frozen credit markets and falling stock prices), people are being let go and new workers become readily available, the less productive workers will be the first to go.

While many people are taking full advantage of remote work and enjoying a greater quality of life, this new dynamic has actually created a unique opportunity for people to stand out at work with a lot less effort than in the past. The bar for getting noticed (in a positive way) has never been lower. Those who take advantage of this opportunity will be glad they did in five years.

#workforce #mentoring #employment