Your heart is in the right place, your head too, but for some reason you haven't been given the right opportunity to showcase your skills and show everybody what you're really capable of. Somewhere along the line you've been stuck on the mouse-wheel of the day-to-day job and have not seen an opportunity to grasp. So, how do you get noticed? When can you show them the skills you were praised for in previous positions?
First of all, reflect on and evaluate your skills. Write them down on paper and read through them, then think up ways to implement them in your workplace.
Did you work on a big project previously and excel working in a group? Did you rally the troops for that project? Did you come up with something completely new that could benefit the business? Are you showcasing your skills as a solo act to the best of your abilities?
Think outside the box on this one to get the best results. Look closer for opportunity. Read your environment thoroughly for a couple of weeks and see what can be improved, and then implement your skills into that situation. It's not as easy as it sounds, but if you look closely at what is going on around you and speak to your Line Manager about some extra duties or responsibilities, you can explain what you can offer. This will give your Manager faith in your abilities.
Think about what you can do to help and improve things for your company, and when you find something, prepare yourself to execute your plan well. Don't just do your job. Your job is expected of you. What can you do differently to someone else in the same department as you with the same job? Do you want to be noticed more than that person? Go above and beyond for your Line Manager. Make his or her job easier.
If you want to move up in the company, then being the best at what you do is the road to promotion. If you have the skills to be the best, then show them off. Don't be shy. Go out there and show them what you can do - you are the master of your own destiny and nobody else is going to do it for you.
Your environment will be the deciding factor as to how you show your skills and what type of skills will be most appreciated and noticed. If you are in Sales, numbers on the board are generally the most important aspect of the job; but what else can you offer to make things a little easier? Your communication skills are off the charts, so maybe the next time you notice the newest member of staff going through a rocky sale or losing a sale, take charge of the situation politely and lead the customer through the product to close the sale. This will showcase your communication skills to your Line Manager and also show that you can mentor those with less experience than you.
The way you do it will be different in different fields of employment, but the message is always the same. Look at your surroundings and pick out opportunities for yourself.
Be the go-getter, not the do-gooder. The go-getter will make their own luck and create possibilities for themselves. The do-gooder will be happy with the job they have and continue to move around the daily mouse-wheel. Hope is not a strategy, and you won't get your chances if you don't make them for yourself. Prove your worth and showcase your skills.
Eventually, it will become second nature for you as you see the benefits. You will begin to naturally take note of things that are happening and instinctively offer your services or take control of situations that need you. Then you will be on auto-pilot, showcasing to everybody just how good you are.
So, in short:
If you want to really stand out in your current employment, check out our write-up on The Benefits of Proactive Behaviour in the Workplace; or if you have one eye on your next promotion, have a look at our advice on How to ask for a Promotion.
Best of luck with your job. EnglishLogica is here to assist with any other requirements.