Let me guess how you’re doing it. You are putting extra hours into your work. You are bringing some of your work at home. You are taking in more responsibilities than you usually do on a fair weather day.
Is it worth it? Do you think you are shining like a star with a glorious light enough to catch your boss’ attention? Do these things make you a standout employee? Do you make yourself indispensable when you do these things?
How do you impress your boss in a very discreet and professional manner? Here are some suggestions.
1. Be punctual in coming to the office. Do it consistently. You show your dedication to your work by arriving at your workplace prepared. Make it a point to arrive at the office at least five minutes ahead of your boss. Greet your boss with a warm smile, regardless of how bad your day is.
2. Volunteer to do the high-visibility tasks that help improve your boss’ impression of you. Be willing to go the extra mile and take responsibilities beyond what is required of you. Of course, do this only when you are sure you can still accommodate additional workload and if you are really interested to do additional work. In this way, you can control what your boss assigns on top of your regular duties.
3. Make the effort to learn the technical side of running the office. In this way, you can become the “go to” guy when the printer isn’t working, or the fax machine is low on toner, or the paper jammed on the shredder. Find out the solution to every possible problem in your office’s equipment. When you do this, you are preparing to be your boss’ life saver, especially when a technical problem shows up before his meeting.
4. Do the petty things that bring life to your office. I don’t mean that you become the employee who runs errands but it gives your boss a positive impression when you ask him at times if he wants a cup of coffee or show up to his office once in a while to share your donuts. Small actions like this make your work interesting and fun too.
5. Listen intently to your boss as he speaks and try to incorporate the words he frequently uses into your own vocabulary. Use them in your own communication, if you have the chance. In this way, you show your boss that you clearly understand what he is up to.
There is no substitute for hard work and good performance as the best way to gain success in the workplace.