Niche Post

 

Do you remember your first day of work? Regardless of if it was five days or twenty years ago, it is likely that you will recall feeling a sense of eagerness to perform well at your new job. It is that drive that you will need to reclaim if you are to become an indispensable asset to your boss and the company.

 

Here are the pivotal times to prove your worth to your manager:

Somebody Leaves

When someone leaves the company, a hole is created. The size of that hole is indicative of the opportunity to create a niche for yourself. It might be impossible to know for certain whether someone is going to leave the company if an announcement has not been made, but there are several telltale signs. Personal crises, jealousy over being passed over for a promotion, using a lot of personal or sick leave – any of these could be red flags for a coworker’s departure (or a green flag, depending on how you look at it). If the person leaving has developed important business relationships, monopolize the opportunity by continuing to interact with them on behalf of the company. No one likes to be forgotten, and that goes for clients and other stakeholders alike.

 

A New Initiative Arises

With every new idea comes the need for additional manpower. Having someone on the job that is able to conceptualize with the skills needed to build things from the ground up is essential for any new product or service to flourish. If you hear about new plans on the horizon, take an inventory of your skills and how they might be applied to the new initiative. Then figure out how you will present yourself as an integral piece of the new enterprise.

 

All the Times in Between

Professional development should be viewed as a personal responsibility. It should be ongoing, even occupying some of your nights and weekends. Many think that adaptability is what companies look for. While that is true to a certain extent, it won’t make you stand out in your boss’s eyes. What will is your active participation as an ambitious and continuous learner. Bosses look for these traits in their employees because if a new situation arises, they will know just who to come to for the answer. So do the unrequired work. Learn a new language such as CSS or Chinese. Stay on top of technological trends. There is a downside to being highly skilled is that you will fell the need to constantly and consistently meet expectations, and if you do fail, it will only be that much more noticeable. You will probably garner some glares from your coworkers as well. But once you recognize that finding your niche more of a personal objective and less of something that always sees immediate residuals, you will stop worrying about perfectionism. You will realize that its all about becoming the best you that you can be!

 

Nyon Smith

Content writer for the Dayton Hispanic Chamber