When it comes to your career, there’s no question that standing out is key to getting ahead. It’s important to remember that performing outstanding work is not the same thing as actively making yourself stand out. Getting ahead takes staying visible, seizing opportunities to promote yourself, and building credibility.

If you’re thinking this sounds tough, you’re not alone! Making your mark takes effort, time and consistency. It doesn’t take a back seat to your everyday tasks, it becomes part of them.

Here are some great tips for standing out when starting a new job:

• Don’t miss the opportunity to make an impact during your first few months. Ask questions during new hire orientation/on-boarding, instead of pretending to soak up all of the information being handed to you. Do you know the history, the structure, the goals, and the mission of the organization? If not, ask. This is important to helping you make a greater contribution.
• Set your own career goals and talk about them with your boss. Often goals are not well established and clarified upon starting employment, so initiating this conversation and proactively setting your career goals will help you avoid getting lost until you are formally evaluated.
• Get out there! As my grandmother once said, “Staying home on a Saturday night will not get you a date”. The same thing holds true at work: if you don’t start meeting people and getting out of your office, you won’t be building important relationships and you won’t get noticed. Networking is a key skill to career advancement, and it’s never to early to start.

Check back for more tips on standing out and if you have tips you’d like to share, we’d love to hear from you!

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©2013 Traverse Career Solutions | Ellen Dunagan