Why is it that the majority of open positions are filled through employee referrals? Because employers know that employees will only refer people whom they know, trust, and respect. Employers know, therefore, that they will get only high-quality candidates.
It is essential to your career success that you maintain a positive reputation; it is your responsibility to ensure that you are well regarded by those around you. The key to doing this is to manage your workplace relationships, your reputation, and your desired performance results.
How to manage your workplace relationships
Meet with Your Boss within First 30 Days
Use this meeting to assess your progress and voice any questions or concerns you may have. This meeting will give you a chance to make sure you are progressing properly and to plan changes, if needed. Additionally, your manager may not always be available to answer questions, and for this reason, you may want to find a mentor so you will have an alternate source of help when you have questions.
Get to Know People and Memorize Names
Write down names with some information to jog your memory. Also, when you are introduced to coworkers, repeat their names to help you remember them.
Build Relationships Cautiously
People can be judged by the friendships they cultivate. Be friendly to all at work and avoid building strong relationships to the exclusion of others. Also, avoid office gossip and take care not to speak negatively about supervisors or managers when in or out of the office. As you build relationships, it is important to draw the line on how much you socialize at work. You can be seen as a person who doesn’t make good use of your time.
Be a Good Communicator and Listener
Make your communications (face-to-face, phone, email) clear and to the point. Don’t over verbalize. Listening is the beginning of understanding. Listen so that you can hear what is being said.
How to manage your reputation in the workplace
Don’t Get Frustrated if Things Don’t Go Perfectly
Don’t let things get you down. Be patient and don’t expect things to be all set up and ready for you when you start.
Email/Internet
Never assume your email or internet use is private. Most companies have an administrator who can check all electronic communications. Make your email responses brief and to the point, and always double-check spelling and grammar before sending. Remember, there are times when a conversation (in person or by phone) may be a better option.
Dress Appropriately
Dress is a key component to consider when looking to make a positive workplace impression. You can determine how to dress (casual, formal) from coworkers, general company culture, or written company dress code.
Be Teachable and Flexible
In today’s fast paced, fluid work environment, it is important to learn and adapt quickly and easily. Even though you may have concerns, voice them in a calm matter-of-fact manner rather than in a panic mode.
Think before You Speak
It is easy to get into the habit of saying, “This is how we did it at my last company.” This phrase can act as a barrier to being accepted into your new position, since it seems that you are still connected to your last employer. It is time to let go of the past and get on board with how things are done at your new place of employment. If you have a suggestion try, saying, “Have we considered doing it this way…?”
Be the First in and Last to Leave
People notice when you arrive and when you leave. This can influence how people perceive you even more than what you get done while at work. Get to work early and stay late as a way to demonstrate that you care about your job and that you want to learn and get up to speed as quickly as possible. Once you prove to your peers and manager that you are competent, you should have greater flexibility with your schedule.
How to manage workplace results
Acquire Copy of Job Requisition and Performance Evaluation
Reviewing these documents will allow you to understand your job requirements and how you will be evaluated. This side-by-side comparison will give you the big picture of what an employer deems most important and allow you to work smart.
Create a Personal Training Manual
This will be your storehouse of processes and procedures on how to perform key job functions and will serve to ease anxiety and shorten your learning curve.
Learn Your Job
Take ownership of everything you do, and do it to the best of your ability. Get the big picture by learning how your job and department fit in with the company’s mission. Above all, your employer needs you to get up to speed ASAP and be productive. Many people make the mistake of customizing procedures before they have a grasp of their basic job functions. Learn the job first so you will have the proper understanding of how changes will affect the process as a whole.
You are the CEO of Your Desk
Your workspace organization aids coworkers in forming an impression of you. It can be difficult to keep your work area neat when a busy day is at hand. In this case simply take 5 to 10 minutes to tidy up before leaving for the day
Make Time to Think and Plan
It has been said that an hour of planning can save two hours of work. Scheduling time to think and plan ahead can help to save time, money, and resources. Planning ahead is a good way to get a look at the big picture: where, when, and what to do with the time, resources, and people needed to complete tasks.
Focus on Progress, Not Perfection
Take it step by step. Remember that when beginning anything, there will be a learning curve. Own up to your mistakes, deal with the issue, and formulate a course of action to remedy the situation. Being proactive will demonstrate your problem-solving skills to your employer.