The job market is becoming increasingly competitive. Employees are therefore left grappling with low pay or toxic work environments due to reduced options. It truly is a rock and a hard place situation with the influx of cheap labor from interns and technology that is rendering many positions redundant.
This narrative however applies to roughly 70% of the workforce. 30% have been able to stay afloat. Many are still being poached or lured elsewhere with benefits one could only dream of.
This then begs the question, what are they doing differently? What tactics are the 30% incorporating into their daily routines to get them these cream of top jobs?
Here are five tips for staying relevant in any work environment.
Offer solutions
This involves identifying problems in your line of work and offering a tailor-made solution. Write a proposal breaking down how the solution will be executed and have insights to back it up.
Make this a monthly project that you undertake and don’t stop until you get one or all of them implemented. These not only give you an edge over your competition but also give you better bargaining power for pay increments and promotions.
Additionally, these projects make for a great portfolio when looking for greener pastures.
Be the best at what you do
Ensure you are constantly growing yourself. Read about trends in your industry and find tools to make you more efficient at work. Be so good at your job that everyone who wants something done comes to you.
Practice professional work ethic
Keep time, stay clear of office drama, and simply do the job right. Unfortunately, many employees either stay stagnate or are top of the list of people the manager wants to get rid of due to unprofessionalism.
Never make it easy for your boss to find a reason to get rid of you or be impressed by another because of your poor work ethic. These are basics that are all under your control.
Set Goals
Goals help you stay motivated and hungry at work. They both help you see opportunities and challenge you out of your comfort zone. Moreover, they keep you from conforming to complaisant office culture and a bad work ethic. These personal work goals will ultimately inspire you to be the best at what you do hence staying relevant.
Know when to leave
Read the room. Be keen to pick up on shifts in the office. These could manifest in stuff like an influx in the number of being hired and reports about retrenchments. When you catch wind of this, start looking for a job elsewhere fast! It is one thing to quit, and it is another when you are retrenched. You stand a better chance of landing another job when you are the one who willingly left an organization. Quitting while ahead helps you stay relevant in the industry.
Staying relevant does not equate to allowing yourself to be overworked, disrespected, or taken advantage of. Rather, it entails doing your job in the best way you can to both provide solutions and grow your career portfolio. Keep in mind that excellence only makes you more marketable, so do not slack. Take some time off when you catch yourself being sloppy. Take leave, if you don’t have those get a note from the doctor and go home to recharge. You cannot afford to be jobless in this economy.
