This may sound like it is coming from one of your parents, and the following advice actually comes from a parent…with over 30 years in Staffing and Corporate life;
First, show up to work early, stay late when you can, and look for work to do. If you haven’t done all this before, give it your best effort for at least 6 months (one or two days/weeks won’t work). Your odds of being treated as a valued worker will go up, therefore your satisfaction with your job. If you do put out this effort, and see no change in your value, either ‘grin and bear it’ (if you like where you are) or consider leaving. Next, take your job seriously. Don’t treat it as a place to go in between paychecks. See how good you can be. Frankly, when we do things that take effort, and we are good at them…we enjoy them more.
What every employer is looking for today that seems to have been lost: Work Ethic. If you have it or can develop it, and show it, your chances of success go up by about 5,000 %. I am not joking. Employers are desperately trying to find good, hard workers. Not to take advantage of them, but to count on them and promote them. In the 1950’s through the 1980’s, one out of 20 workers had great work ethics. Tough competition. Today, about one out of one hundred have a work ethic. It is much easier to excel when the competition is staying home, coming in late or working at 50%. Be the “GO TO” guy or lady. Develop that reputation and you will achieve security, and great references should you need them.
Try to “make an impact”. Improve something. Make something better, faster, easier. Use ‘downtime’ to figure a way to help the company or your Boss, not to call your friends. Or use ‘downtime’ to improve your skills…like learn a new software package or use the TUTORIALS that come with every application to improve your skills on it. But when you HAVE improved, don’t forget to point it out to your Boss.
Steer clear of Office “Politics”. Do NOT become part of the “Whiners” (NOT WINNER) club. It may feel comfortable to complain in a group, but nothing good EVER comes from it. Shakespeare once wrote “Nothing is good or bad, only thinking makes it so”. If you think more about the positives, you’ll be more positive, and the right people WILL notice (believe me they REALLY notice the bad ones).
ASK your Boss for an evaluation every six months, even if it is not formal. Know where you stand. You’ll feel better about your work. The “fun” part of work (besides doing well) is having good relationships with others, customers, and of course…the Boss. Get involved in any company activities. Fun of course is what you define it as. The best ‘fun’ can be in knowing and hearing about how well you are doing.
Help Out! Help a co-worker when they get loaded down or are having a ‘down’ day….as long as you can get your own work done. They will appreciate the help, and, may give you some help when you need it…or even when you don’t. For anyone in business…try to become the absolute best you can be. MOST execs know when someone is really trying, and will treat that person with respect and dignity.
Now… the “more money” part. Besides winning the lottery, the only way to get more money is to EARN it. All the things mentioned at the beginning of this section will get you the opportunity to earn more money, if you do them regularly. Changing jobs can help, but only if you have really tried where you are. Performance will equate to short and long term rewards.