Best Employee Ever: 3 Steps to Being Successful at Work

One mistake we make in today's economy is that we depend on plain old willpower to stick it out at an unfulfilling job or business. We sometimes think the Nike slogan, "Just Do It," is enough to inspire us towards personal success. We know we should change something, but we don't, and then we beat ourselves up for being lazy or unmotivated, when that's just not true.

There are some easy strategies that can make any job way more satisfying, help bump up our value to the organizations we work with, and improve work life balance.

Know your boss. Any relationship takes effort to be a good one, and your relationship with your boss is the most important work relationship you have. Remember that supervisors are bringing their own issues to the workplace. Compassion, understanding, and encouragement go far in ratcheting up your own success. Knowing where your supervisor is coming from (and what his/her goals, values, and expectations are) can really help you move up, too. Sharing your own goals, values, and expectations with your boss can also help you avoid lots of misunderstandings and frustration.
Bring your enthusiasm to work. William Jennings Bryan said, "Destiny is not a matter of chance, destiny is a matter of choice."And one of the most fundamental choices we have is our attitude. If we come to work thinking, "I hate this job," that shows and colors everyone's opinion of us (and not in a good way.) So, how can you be more enthusiastic?

Mentor a co-worker. If you've mastered your job (and it feels a little mundane) help a newer team member improve their skills. Nothing satisfies more than helping others, and building a reputation as being helpful sure doesn't hurt you at rating time.
Create a new challenge. Think of a project that motivates you and give you a sense of control. Start with something small that you could really care about... maybe something as small as organizing a group outing after work... building a sense of team can be enormously helpful to any project as well as boosting your own confidence and job satisfaction.
When you catch yourself thinking, "this job sucks," stop it. Write up a list of the top 5 reasons you are working at all and keep it on your desktop.Love your work enough to make it better. The best employees ever look to improve their skills and the work they perform.
Focus on the right things. If what you do as an employee contributes to what your organization is trying to accomplish, you're golden.
Learn from mistakes. When you make a mistake (or observe others' errors) do your best to learn what went wrong and what would make it better in the future. Continuous improvement helps everyone.

With these strategies, your current job can be a passion in itself, or a paycheck that allows for passion outside of work.

Want help to Work Happy: Making Money and Meaning? Go to http://www.greatlifebalance.com to get the free report, "52 Ways to Kick Stress to the Curb," and find out how to schedule a free 30 minute Work Happy Intervention Call.

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First Steps Of Networking

If you've started your job search or looked at career resources, you're probably hearing this word a lot-Networking. You may be thinking you don't know any professionals in the career that interests you, or find the task daunting. In reality, each of us already has networks that can help us in our career path and job search.

The first step to networking is to think about the people closest to you-your family and friends. These individuals are people you already talk to regularly and who can vouch for your character and work ethic. They're also the people that are most willing to put themselves out there for you by providing a reference for a position and contacts. Start brainstorming the people in your life that you talk to regularly, as well as their current employment positions. Then start talking to these people about the career that interests you, jobs that you're applying for, and ask for any advice or contacts they may have in the field that interests you. Even if no one you know personally works in the field, it may be that your close contacts have friends, colleagues, parents, etc. that are in the field you want to be in. Think outside the box when networking. You may know people in your field that you don't even realize. They could be neighbors, family friends or someone you volunteered or went to school with in the past. The more people you talk to about the field you're interested in, the more opportunities you'll have to talk to professionals and gain insight into the career field, which may eventually lead to internship or job opportunities. Most people are happy to at least offer information and advice to students and recent grads about their field, so don't be afraid to ask questions.

Remember that landing a job is not the real goal of networking. Networking is about building professional relationships. These relationships can provide you with contacts and show you the skills, education and knowledge you'll need for success in the field. Over time your networks can help you build friendships, gain knowledge and experience and alert you to potential job opportunities. Keep in mind that networking is not a one-way-street. Just as you hope to network with people having more experience than you do, you should also be ready to network or serve as a mentor to younger students and colleagues. Professional networks, like personal ones are built on reciprocity. Remember to show gratitude if someone refers you to a contact, job or internship opening, or simply takes the time out of their busy schedule to talk to you about their career. In return, you should be ready to share your knowledge and appropriate contacts with others.

Being a student or recent grad is the most difficult time to network. As you start working in your career, you'll meet colleagues in your own company as well as others in the field. Soon you won't even need to worry about networking; you'll be doing it without even thinking!

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