Being an asset in the workplace is vital to ensure job security and overall success in one’s career, but how does one manage such a task? Students and future employees need an arsenal of tactics to ensure that one is helpful and efficient at work, perpetually promoting growth and success.
Florida National University (FNU) is dedicated to ensuring that students are fully prepared for what is ahead—that might include spending many hours of the day in the workplace at some point after graduation. FNU offers a number of ways for students to ensure they are indispensable to employers:
- Be Self-Motivated
Self-motivation shows that an employee has initiative and interest in his/her work, showing one’s employer that he/she is equipped to handle greater responsibility. Employees must take pride in their work and be determined to excel in their career of choice.
Online courses are an excellent way to prepare for this type of responsibility. Without a professor physically in front of a student, commanding attention and encouraging them to do well, students must look elsewhere for this. They learn to motivate and encourage themselves to complete the assignments. This is similar to jobs in various fields, where employees may work in a cubicle, telecommute, or take full responsibility for projects and accounts. Practicing and perfecting this self-motivation as a student will prepare future professionals for their upcoming responsibilities.
- Communicate
Often in the workplace, individuals feel nervous to speak up and voice ideas—even when they are completely confident that their idea is beneficial to the company. However, showing that he/she has enough initiative to brave the spotlight for a moment demonstrates that he/she is a team player. It showcases that they are, in a sense, willing to take one for the team if that means benefiting everyone.
One should learn to communicate concerns, ideas, or difficulties with co-workers tactfully as this can illustrate to an employer one’s ability to work well in a team environment. Enrolling in courses and offering presentations in front of one’s class is a great way to practice public speaking and gain more experience with speaking in front of others.
- Be Resourceful
When faced with a dilemma, an indispensable employee would use his/her resources to try to find a solution before seeking help from a higher up. Resourceful people are investigative by nature and seek their own answers. These people are innovative and offer new solutions to old problems.
- Be Reliable
A dependable employee is punctual and honest. They respect their position by making use of their time while at work and informing their employer when they know that being tardy is inevitable. Finishing tasks in a timely matter is another quality of a reliable employee. Understand that, while it might be hard to resist distractions, doing so will promote a better turnaround time on projects, which nearly all companies are after. Employers are not paying workers to surf social media—they want someone who is willing, able, and disciplined enough to complete the job, along with the tasks associated with it.
- Adapt
Having the ability to adapt quickly to new challenges and endeavors is an imperative attribute of an invaluable worker. Recognize that this is an era of change. Those who resist change are often left in the dust of those who embrace it. Not only is technology moving at an alarming rate, but education and the workplace are following suit. Just 10-15 years ago, the virtual online classroom was nearly unheard of, and conference video calls were only a dream. Today, those who are motivated to learn and stay up to date with this shift in the educational setting and workplace will continue moving forward. Those who allow themselves to stay stagnant and refuse to learn now might regret it—avoid getting so far behind that the next step is a leap!
- Be Professional
No matter how well an employee does his/her job, it does not give him/her carte blanche to act in an unprofessional manner while at work. It is important to recognize what kind of behavior is appropriate when interacting with bosses and co-workers. Students learn this early. If something is not appropriate for the classroom, it is probably not appropriate for the workplace—keep this in mind for the future.
- Share Your Knowledge
Do not hoard knowledge and learning, or your team might suffer. Knowing when to inform co-workers about how to perform a task more efficiently is vital to the overall success of one’s team. For example, if an employee has found a quicker, easier process for a particular task, or if he/she has found a better way of managing a project, they should feel inclined to go over it with co-workers.
- Be Accountable
An indispensable employee takes responsibility for his/her actions, making them a more respectable employee. No one likes a finger pointer. If something has gone wrong during his/her watch, this employee should claim their mistake. They should never try to hand the blame to someone below them in rank or make excuses for why they have been unsuccessful in completing their task. Instead, they should take the necessary actions to finish their assignment or correct any mistakes.
Get Ready for Your Future, Now
These eight assets are likely to help gain positive attention and recognition from an employer. FNU knows that each one of its students has the potential to thrive and excel in their workplace after graduation. Ready to work toward your career? Get started on the path to your future today; apply to one of our programs now!
Works Cited
Araujo, Mila. “12 Most Marvelous Assets You Can Offer Your Company.” 12 Most RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.
“How to Get Promoted at Work.” York Companies RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.
