Getting Noticed at Work

For those of you who are worried that your worth in the workplace is getting overlooked, there's something simple and effective you can start doing on Monday morning.

First, ask yourself-

* How does my boss know what I'm working on?
* How does my boss know if I have too much on my plate?
* Would my boss be able to tell someone else about my work?

Many people say that their boss knows about their work because they tell their boss what they're working on during supervision or when they ask for help on a particular project.

But what about those things that you do as part of day-to-day business?

What about those projects that you don't complain about or need extra assistance on?

What about those great relationships you have with stakeholders or colleagues that enable you to get things done at work?

The majority of people I speak to have never taken the time and effort to ensure that they promote their worth at work. And when I say promote, I don't mean for you to conjure up an image of that guy who is always tooting his own horn in a meeting or sucking up to the boss. Instead I mean, the person (who may not exist yet in your workplace) who keeps their boss informed and gets their boss to magically toot their horn for them to colleagues and those important stakeholders.

So what's the secret?

There are many ways to get yourself noticed at work and be appreciated for your contributions. I will share just one way.

Write an Activities Update

This is a simple document where you list all the projects you're working, have finished, or are starting this week or month (depending on the appropriate timeline). It should be a brief memo to your boss with a bullet with a status update about each project. It's not the place to go on at length about all the issues you're having with a colleague or vendor. It's just a simple, effective way to keep your boss informed, to keep your contributions front and center in your boss' mind, and to start a conversation about ways to prioritize your workload.

So block out some this Monday to write your Activities Report- most of you will be amazed by how much you're actually working on and how long it has been since you last took stock of your portfolio.