Gaining professional respect at work can be a long endeavour, depending on your work environment, especially if you are a new hire with little previous experience. However, it’s worth trying to boost your reputation within a company quickly, as this can help you rise up the ranks quicker and make higher-ups more inclined to use your suggestions and expertise.
Thankfully, there are a lot of little steps you can take that can be effective in improving how your co-workers and team leaders feel about you. Here are some tips to help you polish your reputation at work.
Be punctual and engaged
A good way to improve your reputation is by showcasing your reliability and effectiveness at your job. This means that you should put a lot of effort into being where you need to be at the times you need to be there. That means getting in on time, or even early, for work, and staying right up until the end of the day. It also means not being late to meetings or for scheduled phone calls, as well as being prompt in your email responses too.
However, just being present is not enough. While you’re at work you also need to look engaged and focused on what you’re doing. This means that you need to avoid lounging around on your mobile during working hours, and to be active in meetings, by asking questions or making suggestions. Doing all this will help improve how others think of you at a rapid rate.
Look the part
No matter how well you might work, if you look like a scruff, no one is going to give you the time of day. In a materialistic world, the way you look is important, meaning that a wardrobe modification can be all you need to boost your reputation. Getting a set of nice clothes for work, such as a suit, can make you appear more professional, and boost your confidence, too. Also, be sure to neaten up your hair and facial hair and maintain a good posture.
You can also improve your professionalism with custom business cards, as this makes you appear not only well put together, but proud of yourself and your career, which is a really desirable trait for employees.
Be proactive
There are many things bosses find annoying, but one of the worst things are workers that have to be told what to do constantly. Of course, there is nothing wrong with seeking guidance from time to time, but to boost your reputation, a good tactic is to start tackling appropriate jobs without having to be asked. This demonstrates initiative, a good trait to have in business.
A way to elevate this tactic further is to dive into a task that the rest of the office may be avoiding, as this shows willingness and drive, which will quickly make you one of the favourites within the workplace.
Another thing to do is to try and figure things out for yourself, instead of just asking question after question after question. Of course, bosses admire people who want to learn more and are inquisitive, but asking a plethora of questions can make you look unskilled and uncertain in what you’re doing, which doesn’t instill a lot of confidence.
