How to be successful in any job!

Whether you are starting a new job, or you have been in the same job for quite some time, you can be successful in that job. Now understand that I'm not saying you will become rich or will be promoted to a high position in the company, I said you can be successful. Most jobs sort of have a built-in limit to how much money you will be paid and how high up you can be promoted, so those aren't the things I'm talking about when I say 'successful.' 

What is success in a job?

To me, success in any job means: 

• Being able to do that job well.
• Feeling some sense of accomplishment .
• Attaining the highest pay and position that job allows.
• Being noticed and respected by your boss.
• Being one of the last employees your company would want to lay off. 

The key to success on the job is to stand out and be noticed.

As with many other worthwhile things in life, success at work is not an easy thing to attain, but this actually works to your advantage. If being successful at a job were easy, then everyone would be doing it and that wouldn't leave much room for you to stand out. Doing the things needed to be successful in your job, is hard work, and since most people shy away from hard work, the opportunity to stand out is yours for the taking! 

Work hard!

One of the most common traits you'll likely see in people who just don't seem to get anywhere in their lives, is laziness. Just take a look at most companies: people try to avoid work, they extend their breaks, extend their lunches, come in late and leave early. You may think they are getting away with it, but usually the boss knows who these people are. You need to be the one who comes in a little bit early and occasionally leaves a little bit late. You need to be the one who comes back from break and lunch on time and works consistently throughout the day. I'm not saying you have to wear yourself out until you collapse in exhaustion, but you do need to do the work that is expected of you and you need to be working consistently all day long. Trust me, this is unusual in most places of employment and will, sooner or later, be noticed.

"Effective people do two things: they strive to do excellent work, and they prioritize."

The most important person in any business.

The most important person in any business is the customer. Without the customer, there is no business. There isn't a single business on the planet that would make it without customers. I'm sure you've heard the saying "the customer is always right," well, it isn't true. The customer is not always right; but the customer is always the customer! What this means is that you have to treat customers as if they are the most important people in the world whether they are right or not. And why should customers be treated as if they are the most important people in your business? Because they are! Smile when dealing with customers. Make the customer feel like you are truly glad that they are there (as you should actually be). Try to put yourself in their place. How would you want to be treated? Try to make that customer want to come back even if they have a complaint. And whatever you do, don't take it personally when a customer is rude or contentious. Be polite, be calm, be professional and take care of that customer as best you can. Even when customers are wrong, try to be calm and polite when dealing with them. If at all possible, let the customer have their way. A repeat customer is a very valuable thing to a business. If you deal well with customers, they may even start to ask for you by name when coming into your business. Now that's something that will get you noticed by the boss!

Above and beyond.

Don't be afraid to go a little above and beyond the call of duty. In other words, be the employee who is willing to do a little extra work when needed. I don't mean that you should do other people's work for them or that you should let yourself be taken advantage of, but be willing to do a little extra to help out your boss or to help out your employer. Let your co-workers be the ones saying "that's not my job, that's not my responsibility, I don't have to do that." You will be the one saying "sure, I can take care of that for you." And maybe it really isn't your responsibility, maybe it is something you shouldn't have to do--but because you want to be successful and get ahead, you're willing to do it anyway. That's something that stands out and gets you noticed. Don't ever forget that, while you are on the job, your time is not your own. Your employer bought that time from you and it belongs to them--that's why you get paid. So, as long as you aren't being asked to do something illegal or unethical, and as long as your employer is making a reasonable request, be willing to step in and help out.

Knowledge truly is power.

Now here is some workplace advice you won't see very often: once you learn to do your own job well, start taking the time to learn other jobs at work--especially jobs that are the next step up from your position, or are jobs you would like to be doing. If you ask in the right way, many of your co-workers will be happy to show off their skills and show you what they do. Sometimes, depending upon the situation, the boss may even be willing to help you learn some other jobs at work. This doesn't mean you have to actually start doing these extra jobs, but it does mean that, when the boss needs someone to fill in for another position and there is no one available who knows the job, you can step right in and take care of it. It makes sense that if a promotion becomes available for a job you already know how to do, you would be the natural choice to fill that position. That is exactly what this suggestion accomplishes--helping you to move up and get promotions. Another thing it accomplishes is making you one of the last people your employer would want to lay off. Why lay off someone who can already do several different jobs?

Written by - Mahmoud ALQadah