How to Avoid Becoming Expendable at Work

We all want to feel secure in our jobs. While nothing is ever guaranteed, you can increase your job security by becoming the type of employee your boss can’t live without. That begins with being great at your job, but there is much more to becoming invaluable at work. Use these tips to avoid becoming expendable and start raising your value.  

Keep Your Skills Sharp 

First and foremost, if you want to be irreplaceable, you must keep your skills sharp. Embrace and learn new technologies, study up on the latest trends, and do your best to stay ahead of the curve. Engineers who don’t keep pace with change are easy to replace – engineers with cutting edge skills are not.  

Be An Excellent Generalist Or A Specialist  

There are two types of people who are difficult to replace. First, the generalist who is very good at a variety of different things and who is useful to many people. Second is the expert in a specialized area of focus. Both types of people add value to a team, and the company as a whole.  

Exceed Expectations  

It’s tempting to do just enough at work to stay under the radar, but the middle of the pack isn’t always a safe bet. If you want to avoid becoming expendable, you must not only meet expectations, you must exceed them. Think about what every task requires of you, then determine how you can go above and beyond.  

Be Helpful  

Indispensable people never utter the words, “that’s not my job.” If you want to increase your value at work, be helpful. Volunteer for tasks or projects no one else wants to do. Offer to assist someone who might be struggling with their workload. When you see something that needs to be done, don’t wait to be asked, move in, and do it.  

Respect Other People’s Time  

If you call a meeting, be on time. If you are called to a meeting, be on time. If you expect other people to finish their tasks by their deadlines, meet your own.  People who are punctual and respectful of other people’s time are valuable because they are reliable. If you are late, if you miss deadlines or waste other people’s time, you will quickly fall into the “expendable” category.  

Project A Good Attitude  

No matter how great you are at your job, if you have a reputation for dragging other people down with negativity, you are expendable. Do whatever you can to keep your complaints to yourself and to be a valuable part of the team. Instead of complaining about a problem, devise a solution. If you can’t come up with a solution, smile your way through it.  

Are You Looking For A New Engineering Job?  

If you are an engineer seeking new job opportunitieswhere you can make yourself an invaluable and irreplaceable employee,contact the Atlanta engineering recruiters at Selectek today.