Make yourself indispensable

SACRAMENTO (JobJournal) -- Being indispensable is important to your career. The meaning of indispensable is 'essential,' which is something of the highest importance for achieving a specific goal. You are more apt to have job security if you become a key player in your employer's achievement of excellence.

Here are four ways to increase your value to the organization and become an employee that your company can't do without.

Be low maintenance. Be flexible enough to adapt to change. Those who embrace change prosper, while those who don't struggle throughout their careers. If you don't go with the flow, you will not be considered a team player, which prevents you from being considered for promotions and other growth opportunities.

Another work quirk that frustrates managers is the employee who excels at his duties, but only does those he enjoys, while leaving the less desirable tasks for someone else. You won't be a highly valued employee unless you do the entire job. This includes the unpleasant parts such as filing, filling out paperwork, and cleaning up.

Learn what your boss wants from you. You should always know what your boss expects from you. In fact, you should ask this question during the interview process. If you don't know what your boss wants from you, how can you be successful?

Always make sure you have the following essentials for your career health: a current job description; regular performance evaluations; and a short, informal meeting with your supervisor each month (this can be done over lunch).

If your supervisor isn't all that clear on what's expected, you may need to prod him or her to be more specific. It's impossible to know if you're a highly valued employee unless there are some criteria by which your performance can be measured against others.

Broaden your circle of influence. Meet people, join organizations, make connections and build relationships. An extensive list of contacts both inside and outside your company is extremely valuable to you and your employer. And networking is one of the surest ways to find good jobs and keep advancing your career.

Take charge of your own destiny. These days, you have to toot your own horn. Make your intentions known. When you announce your intentions, it accomplishes two important goals: It creates expectations of you in others, and it creates expectations of you in yourself.

You dramatically increase your chances of success when everyone is expecting you to succeed. And keep in mind: Your raise will become effective when you become more effective.

Courtesy of JobJournal.com
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