How to Land (and Keep) a Better Job
If you’re looking for employment, whether you just want some new scenery, a brand new career, or you’re looking for a side gig, patience is critical. It takes time to get an interview, but that only gets your foot in the door. Once you find the right job, you’ll need a strategy to do your best during the interview, land the job, and then keep that job long-term.
The following tips can help you keep your ideal job, so it becomes long-term employment.
- Take safety seriously from day one
Safety is a topic that usually gets ridiculed and dismissed, but don’t fall into that trap when you get hired at a new job. You’re going to encounter other employees who will tell you to ignore certain rules and do things that are considered to be unsafe. Hold your ground and don’t cave.
There are two reasons you don’t want to follow suit with people who ignore safety procedures. The most important reason is that it can actually compromise your safety and the safety of others. The last thing you want is to get injured on the job because you ignored an important safety regulation. For example, if you’re working in a warehouse with heavy equipment, like a forklift, there are plenty of hazards that make following company policy critical. Don’t worry about what others do, and don’t cave to their pressure. Practice safety every time you drive that forklift.
The second reason is that you can get fired for not following safety protocols. New hires are usually put on a 90-day probation period, and you may not get any second chances during that time. There might be no second chances at all, but you’re more likely to be let go for small infractions during your probation period.
- Go above and beyond
While it sounds reasonable to say you’re not going to perform any work outside of your job description, it pays to be more flexible. That’s not to say you should work for free or start contributing high-level expertise for a low-level pay rate. Going above and beyond can be much smaller and simpler than it seems.
It actually doesn’t take much to go above and beyond in the workplace. Most employers are used to staff who slack off and spend a lot of time on social media. In fact, most people are only productive for three to six hours each workday. The bar is already set pretty low. All you have to do is put in more effort than your boss is expecting and they will appreciate you even more.
Going above and beyond looks different in every industry, but say you’re part of a digital marketing team and you notice that the form used to capture leads isn’t tagging anyone like it should. If you have access to the accounts required to fix that, and you know how, do it. Just fix it and tell your boss you took care of the problem afterward. Don’t make it a big deal or ask for anything in return. If you see something that needs attention, go a little out of your way to get the issue resolved. Be the team member willing to help and share their expertise when appropriate.
- Get clear on expectations
Failing to meet expectations is one of the biggest reasons employers let go of their staff. Unfortunately, expectations are often communicated poorly, if at all. Many employees find themselves confused and clueless regarding what their boss expects from them on a daily basis. They might have monthly KPIs, but still not know what they’re expected to do day-to-day.
Getting super clear on what’s expected of you is the best way to increase your chances of becoming a long-term employee. Meeting your boss’ expectations will work in your favor. The trick is figuring out how to get them to articulate those expectations, or at least write them down.
However, it never hurts to ask for clarification. If you aren’t clear on what you’re supposed to be doing and what type of goals you need to set for yourself, ask. Much of the time, managers don’t even realize they haven’t been clear enough.
Stick to jobs you enjoy
You’ll only hold a job you enjoy, so while you’re working hard to please your boss and make friends with your coworkers, make sure you’re working a job you actually enjoy. No job is fun and roses all the time, but you should feel motivated to keep going and solve problems even when challenges arise.
