Newly Corporate

A few days back we discussed how to make yourself indispensable and the possibilities for achieving that goal.  I personally believe the best way for a young newly corporate individual to make themselves indispensable is to take in the most diverse and expansive experiences possible.

My intent is to lay out suggestions one can use to make yourself indispensable to your current company, not so much making your skills desirable to many companies (I believe this is two different, although related, things).  I call this your “Company Skillset.”  That is, it’s the skills beyond your technical training, the skills that make you a truly well rounded and valuable employee, no asset!

Diversifying your Company Skillset is going to make you a flexible, task accomplishing machine.  The hope is that when your managers get together for a scheduling meeting, they are all fighting over you!  We are going to take a few posts here to investigate some different strategies to diversify your Company Skillset.  And we bring you number one:

Volunteer for anything:

I don’t save the best for last.  This is the most important.  When something comes up that you may have any interest in, even the slightest interest, investigate it further.  Often times just asking a boss about an opportunity, looking for more information, at least lets him know you’re serious about this job and this company.  Even more so, you may actually like something you originally didn’t.

I know you’re probably saying volunteering is quite vague Brandon, what are some examples?  Here are some examples.

• Various non-work related committees.  Some examples are Social Committee or Office Improvement Committee.  These are great ways to impact the office and company.  For large companies these can often be national efforts that will get your name out of your office and into others!
• Attend technical training and conferences.  Tell your manager you’re interested in learning more about a topic.  Maybe say you would like to go and learn about a new program and bring it back to the office for a lunch and learn.  Not only are you going to obtain new skills, but the boss will see your dedication.
• Move beyond your hired job.  Maybe you’re out with some friends and a manager from another department and they mention how swamped they are.  Tell them, “I have some free time and I would love to see your end of the business, would you like me to come help you out this weekend and ease some of the load?”
• Be willing to relocate.  Of course this isn’t for everyone.  But often, just working in another location for a finite period provides an employee with perspective and ideas that they can bring back to a home office.

I think the best way to illuminate this is to provide an example in my career.  Recently an associate at our office has taken a transfer to another office.  One of the responsibilities he had within our office (that he volunteered for!!) was what we call a File Standard Champion (FS).

The role of the FS Champion was to know the programs and processes we use to document and store the support we gather when working on tax returns.  This is not something he learned in school or that he read in a westlaw guide.  Now that he has left there is a need for a replacement FS Champion in our office.

While at the holiday party this past weekend I was schmoozing, showing off my fiance, and networking with various higher ups when one mentioned how the FS Champion role will be open.  Now most of the times you can hear me throughout the office cursing and complaining that TFS is an inefficient pain in my rear.  But what better way to deal with a headache other than to take it on and improve it yourself!

I have since volunteered for this position, and although I have not yet done much of anything in the role, I know this will make me more valuable to my company.

Stay tuned to NewlyCorporate as we continue this series of how to make yourself indispensable to your company.  And as always please share your stories, examples, and advice.  It is greatly appreciated.