How to Impress Your Boss
Striving to impress your boss is a goal all employees have in common. It doesnāt matter if itās your first day at a new job or youāve been with the same company for ten yearsāyou want your boss to like you. If you are in fact starting a new job, then itās important you make a positive first impression. If youāve been at a job for a while, then you might be thinking about a possible promotion. Impressing your boss is key in this situation. So really, no matter where you are in your career, you want your boss to think highly of you.
But how do you impress your boss without sucking up or annoying your fellow employees? There are actually many ways to be very successful in accomplishing this.
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Understand How the Company Works
Demonstrating your knowledge of your job and the company that you work for is a surefire way to impress your boss. This doesnāt mean you have to know everything right awayāthere will definitely be a learning curve when you first start a job. You need to figure out how your position fits into the larger structure of the organization as a whole. Donāt be afraid to ask your boss questions about your role in the company and how you contribute to its overall function. Understanding this information will show that you have a long-term interest in this job. Whether or not you think youāll work for this company your entire life, itās always good to put your all into everything you do. If you do change jobs in the future, your boss will easily be able to write an excellent recommendation for you.
Take Initiative
Be proactive. Donāt wait around for opportunities: create them. Express your passions. Show how creative you are. Seek out solutions to problems instead of waiting for someone else to fix it. Volunteer to take on new projects. Prove that you donāt need to be supervised all the time.
Of course, you donāt want to step on other peopleās toes. Thereās a difference between taking initiative and being pushy. Donāt forget about that line so you make sure not to cross it. Also, you donāt want to take on too much at the same time. Stressing yourself out is not the best way to impress your boss. The quality of your output is much more important than the quantity.
[clickToTweet tweet=”Donāt wait around for opportunities: create them. #missmillmag #careeradvice” quote=”Donāt wait around for opportunities: create them.”]
Donāt Be Afraid to Speak Up
Ask questions! There is absolutely no shame in being unsure about something. This is especially true if youāre at a new job. Even if youāre not new, asking questions shows that you want to learn and improve as an employee. You can never have too much knowledge because you never know when it will come in handy.
Part of speaking up also has to do with bringing complaints and problems to your bossās attention. If a fellow employee is not acting in accordance with company policy and itās affecting your work, talk to them. If they still donāt change their ways after youāre confronted them about it, then go to your boss. Explain the situation, let them know that you talked to your co-worker one-on-one, and inform them that nothing has changed. Don’t worry; you’re not a snitch; youāre simply acting in the best interest of the company as a whole. Your boss will recognize this.
Similarly, if there is a structural or procedural issue in the company that you feel like impedes the working environment, speak up. It will impress your boss that youāre thinking of ways to improve the company and become more efficient. Thereās a way to approach your boss respectfully and professionally if you have an issue with the way something is done. Keep in mind that itās possible nothing will changeābut at least, you tried! Now your boss knows that youāre thinking critically and progressively, which is a great thing.
Connect on a Personal Level
Thereās nothing wrong with getting to know your boss as a person, as long as you donāt act too chummy. You donāt need to become BFFs, but you do want to have an amicable working relationship. Taking the time to learn about your boss as an individual is another way to show that youāre invested in this job. Some ways to connect with your boss include:
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Credit: Best Life Solutions Attending office dinners and parties
- Asking about their passions and hobbies
- Asking about their family life
- Eating lunch together on break
- Grab a cup of coffee (or tea) together
No one is professional all the time, and if you can be friendly with your boss that will give you the opportunity to display your knowledge and skills in a new way.
Always Arrive Early (Or At Least on Time)
This one is pretty basic. Promptness is important in the workplace. It shows that you care about being present and that your work is important to you. Arriving early will impress your boss because it indicates that you plan your time well. Sometimes, depending on your commute and unpredictable traffic, the only way to know for sure youāll be on time to work is to be a bit early. Also, if you arrive before (or about the same time as) your boss, it will show that you are ambitious and have a strong work ethic.
Dress to Impress
Although appearance isnāt everything, it certainly is something. You want to make sure that youāre adhering to the office dress code every single day, especially when youāre first starting a new job. If you look sharp and act sharp, your boss is sure to notice. It reflects well on the company if the employees are presenting themselves in a professional way. On days that youāll be attending a networking event or a meeting with other departments, take some extra time to look especially professional that day. Your boss will appreciate it, and youāll feel more confident!
Consistently Meet Deadlines
No boss wants an employee who is constantly turning things in late. If you want to impress your boss, itās crucial that you are consistently finishing tasks and projects early or precisely on time. Turning things in early is even better than on time because it shows that you really know how to manage your time well. The key here is consistency: it doesnāt matter if you complete one task on time if the next two are late. You boss canāt count on you if this is your pattern, and you want to show that youāre a reliable employee.
Be Task-Oriented At Work
Work time is for work: itās that simple. When youāre on the clock, you need to be productive if you want to impress your boss. Donāt bring your baggage with you to the office. Stay focused on the job at hand, and donāt waste time on your phone or completing other personal tasks. Of course, you can do that sort of thing during your lunch break, and thatās not a problem. When youāre supposed to be doing your job, though, show your boss that you value their time and respect the work environment.
React to Feedback And Make a Change
No one will do everything correctly all the time. Youāre undoubtedly going to make a couple of mistakes. Those mistakes donāt define you, though, how you react to criticism and adjust your proceedings does. The feedback you receive might not even be criticismāyour boss might like the way you do something and ask you to do it more. No matter the feedback, if you want to impress your boss you need to be able to adjust the way you operate to fit their expectations.
[clickToTweet tweet=”Youāre undoubtedly going to make a couple of mistakes. Those mistakes donāt define you, though.” quote=”Youāre undoubtedly going to make a couple of mistakes. Those mistakes donāt define you, though.”]
Pay Attention to the Big Pictureā¦
Understanding the vision for the company is crucial. It shows your boss that youāre deeply invested in advancing the business and not just worried about getting your individual job done. Remember that you’re one piece in a large, complex puzzle and you need to understand how the entire puzzle looks to find outĀ where you fit in.
This is also an excellent way to show how creative you are. Bring your big ideas to meetings and offer ways to advance the company as a whole. Be sure that your ideas support your bossās goals for the business, and they will be doubly impressed with you.
ā¦And All the Little Details
You donāt want to get so caught up in the abstract that you forget about the daily work that goes into meeting goals. Keep track of your daily tasks in a notebook or planner. Make sure no deadlines pass you by. Itās these little things that make the big, lofty goals attainable. Demonstrating that you can focus on both the big picture and the minute details shows that youāre a well-rounded employee who could make a great leader in the company one day. This is a huge plus for you when your boss needs to fill a higher position.
Be a Team Player
Very few jobs donāt require working collaboratively, so chances are you have to be able to work well with others at your job. Thereās a reason we have to do so many group projects in school; theyāre practice for post-college life.
Being a team player when youāre assigned group project in the workplace will definitely impress your boss. Collaborating with others can be frustrating and difficult at times, but if youāre able to pull through and pull the team together, it will look good for you. Group projects are also an opportunity for to show that you can be a leader, which is important when your boss is picking people to consider for a promotion.
Showing that youāre a team player doesnāt just have to happen in the context of a group task. You can show that you work well with others every day. In addition to impressing your boss, your coworkers will enjoy having you around!
Show That Youāre Invested
This encompasses a lot of different points that have been discussed. Showing that youāre invested in your jobāwhether youāre brand-new and still unsure if this is your career destination or youāve been with the company for over a decadeāis sure to impress your boss. Being invested means that you:
-
Credit: Death to Stock Understand your job
- Work on furthering the goals of the company
- Do your job, do it well, and do it efficiently
- Get to know your boss and coworkers
- Focus on your job when youāre at work
- Keep up with the industry
- Come early and stay late (as long as this doesnāt interfere with your life)
- Seize networking opportunities
At the end of the day, the best way to impress your boss is to show that youāre truly invested in your job. You have to combine many different elements that show you care about being a great employee and an asset to the company.
There are so many ways to impress your boss. These are a few of the main ones, so if you do all of these things, you will be in a great position at your job. Are there other things youāve done at work that your boss appreciated? Are you a supervisor who has insider knowledge of what is favorable in an employee? Share in the comments below!
[clickToTweet tweet=”The best way to impress your boss is to show that youāre truly invested in your #job. #missmillmag” quote=”The best way to impress your boss is to show that youāre truly invested in your job.”]
Resources: Forbes (1, 2), Hubspot, Money Crashers, PopSugar
These are great ways to impress. I am my own boss these days, so I don’t have anyone to impress but ME š
Haha being your own boss is really the best position to be in. Thank you for reading!
My boss is very impressed with me (I’m my own boss!) š Before becoming my own boss, I always made sure I got to work early. I liked to have a cup of coffee and a little quiet time before my day started. These are all great tips on how to impress your boss.
It’s nice to have some time to relax before beginning a long day of work. Thanks for reading!
These a excellent tips! Taking initiative is definitely on top of my list and where I’ve gotten the most postive feedback!
That’s great to hear! Thank you for reading
These are all excellent tips. So many people are so focused on not rocking the boat that they forget to make the right waves.
I love that piece of advice, what a great way of putting it. Thanks for reading!
These are VERY good tips! To get anywhere up in the company you need to have a good working relationship with your boss. One day that could help you when the time comes when they need to find someone dependable!
You’re so right! Thanks for reading š
Taking initiative is a great way to show that you take your work seriously. These are all great tips for impressing your boss and your coworkers too!
Glad you like the tips, thanks for reading!
Great tips for impressing the boss! When I was a restaurant manager I loved when people were on time and worked with out much prompting.
The ability to work independently is sometimes an underrated skill. Thanks for reading!
What a fantastic post – I’ve been with my current employer for 4 years now and it’s reminded me that the little things so count. I love how in depth your post is. Great work!
Thank you so much, glad you got something out of it!
I agree 100% with your list to impressing a boss… and even your co-workers! it’s all about being a team player and stepping up to the plate whenever possible!
That’s so true! Many (if not all) of these points can be reframed to talk about how to impress a co-worker. Thank you for reading!
These are fantastic ways to impress your boss for sure! Loving all of these ideas.
Thank you!
These are all great ways to impress a boss and it is sad that many people do not realize how important showing up on time is. It is also important for a happy employee to have their boss ask personal questions as well.
The importance of being prompt really can’t be understated! Thanks for reading
Your tips are practical and doable! You have also worded them well and can be easily followed. I am not working now, but can totally take some of the advice even as a stay-home mom.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m glad you were able to find some valuable advice here, even as a stay at home mom (which really is a true full-time job).
These are all great tips to help get yourself noticed. Although they all seem like no brainers, there are a lot of people who aren’t willing to go the extra step.
You’re so right! Many people try to get away with doing the bare minimum, but to make a good impression you have to take those little extra steps. Thank you for reading!
Such a GREAT article – you hit all of the key pointers, very realistically as well. When I worked in Corporate America, I made sure that I asked a lot of questions and showed initiative.
Thank you so much!! š
These are great tips! I think it’s easy to just keep our head down and do our job… And that may keep us in work, but it may not give us the opportunity to advance.
You’re so right! Thank you for reading.
These are great tips! When I’ve worked outside the home, I have definitely done many of these things and was able to move up quickly and gain a raise.
That’s awesome to hear, thanks for reading!
Love your tips! I really like the one about showing initiative. I’ve always felt like that’s where my best success comes from.
Showing initiative is hugely important, glad you’ve had success with it. Thank you for reading!
These are all great tips that are not only helpful, but are easy to do! I just started working outside of the home in February (after being home for 6 years), so this post was SO HELPFUL to me!
I’m so glad you found it helpful!! Best of luck to you with your new job. Thanks for reading!
Thanks for sharing the tips. I work from home but will definitely keep them in mind for my future reference.
Thank you for reading!
I get to work 15 minutes early every day and it’s a great opportunity to get to know my coworkers on a more personal level since the work day has not officially started yet. I have also learned quite a lot about the company just with those morning chats so they’re definitely worth it!
That’s a great use of time! And it ensures that you’re never late š Thank you for reading!