Good employers are always looking for ways to improve their business.
There are multiple methods to accomplish a noticeable improvement. Methods such as going paperless, replacing broken equipment and finding problem areas in their company hierarchy. Changes of this magnitude are costly, and as such another trait of a good employer is prioritization.
An employer who’s on their toes will look for and fix problems, despite their cost. The most important job an employer has is managing their employees. Employees are the lifeblood of the company. If you want to be valued as an extraordinary employee and be first on the list for promotions, you must possess these seven qualities.
1. Punctuality
The very best employees will do everything in their power to be at work on time. Being punctual is a very easy thing to do, and it means the world to an employer if you show them you care enough to do so.
If you have trouble getting to work on time, you can try a simple trick such as setting your clock 10 or 15 minutes ahead. The logic behind this is that you’ll be so focused on getting out of bed once that alarm goes off, you won’t have time to think about the fact that you’re waking up early. This doesn’t work for everyone, but it’s worth a shot.
If the method mentioned above doesn’t work, you could try installing an app on your mobile device that logs your sleep in a journal and uses that information to help you sleep better. Make sure your sleep environment is comfortable and get an air purifier to improve the air quality in your bedroom. It’s a lot easier to get up and get to work in the morning when you’re well rested.
2. Self-Starting
The most desirable employees have an ambitious nature about them. Employers are consistently impressed by professionals who are self-starters, who need no push to get started on tasks they should be doing.
Managers have especially good relationships with talented individuals because they’re low maintenance. They know what has to be done and they do it whether or not there’s someone watching them. This makes the manager’s job easier, and the flow of work smoother.
You can take steps to being a self-starter immediately. Do you have any chores you’ve been putting off? Get up, right now, stop procrastinating and go do it. That’s really all it takes to be a go-getter, just paying attention enough to know what has to be done and having the audacity to go do it. Spend the last 5 minutes of your workday well.
3. Natural Leadership
One of the most valuable qualities an extraordinary employee possesses is a penchant for natural leadership. These are the employees that tend to keep their coworkers on task. They are the ones that other employees go to when they have questions.
Employers are always looking for individuals with leadership skills because it looks promising for advancement in the business. Someone who’s perfected the simpler tasks will be looked on favorably when the time comes to decide on who to promote.
4. Alertness
Have you ever walked into a gas station at eight or nine o’clock in the morning, excited for a nice, big cup of eye-opening coffee from the best coffee maker, only to find the clerk asleep? No. Because that clerk has been chugging caffeine-laced beverages since their shift started.
No employer is a fan of employees sleeping on the job. They want their people sharp, alert and ready for action. They want employees that are ready and able to get work done when it needs to be done.
If you have problems staying alert during the day, you can try several things. Taking a few deep, slow breaths will send more oxygen to your brain, and help you feel awake. Be sure to eat plenty of protein (make the best protein shake) and fiber during the day. This will keep you from feeling hungry, keep you moving and make you a more effective employee.
5. Loyalty
This particular quality is becoming quite the rarity these days, and all the more appreciated. Did you sign a nondisclosure agreement with your employer? Abide by it. Did you hear a rumor about a co-worker? Keep it to yourself, and show your employer you are someone they can trust.
6. Personality
You will never hear anyone tell you that your college degree was a waste of time. Well, you might. But that didn’t stop you from going to school for four years, did it? Exactly. You are your own person, and it can be shocking to discover that employers actually prefer their employees to have some personality.
A degree from a prestigious university and a heap of prior work experience are both great things to have, but they’re not who you are. You are the sum of your many parts. You are the culmination of years worth of being you.
Are you quirky? Are you geeky? Are you sporty? Whatever you are, let yourself be. You might have a slick office job and dream of playing tennis all day. Wear tennis shoes and shorts to work, or if your office has a dress code, pick up a tie or a blouse with something tennis related on it. Employers like to see that their employees have lives outside of work because it makes them more likely to enjoy what they’re doing.
7. Street Smart
The best employees are street smart and have a lot of common sense intelligence. They know how to respond to uncertainty quickly and make good decisions under pressure. They bring something to the table so priceless that their employers would love to have them on the team.
Many people who are highly intelligent may actually still be lacking in this area. Street smarts or common sense intelligence needs to be cultivated through experience and practice. It is not something that can be faked either, as those who possess this quality can spot those who do not from miles away. It can also be developed through sports that require quick thinking, such as tennis or squash.
To top it off, the best employees always go the extra mile. They are responsive to emails, work hard, and care so much about their work that they always have ideas for how to improve various processes in the workplace. These are the exceptional employees employers would love and who would love to have advance in any organization.
