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Make My Job Easy!

Written by Bernie

Bernie Frazier, SPHR is the Founder and President of CAREERCompass, LLC, a speaking and career coaching firm in St. Louis, MO. She also spent almost 25 years recruiting talent to six organizations across four industries and led the talent acquisition function for four of those organizations, including one global team.

Earlier in my career, I had a boss who was really a great guy.  He not only gave me the opportunity of a lifetime, one which changed the trajectory of my career, he was really good about offering up great advice: 

  • When I would come in before him and leave after he was gone home, he would stop by my office on his way out and say, “Hey, I hear the overtime pay around here sucks!”  Of course, this was his way of saying, “Go home!”
  • “Wherever you go and whatever you do, always build monuments.”  What he meant was always strive to do work that will be seen after you’re gone – don’t just get caught up in busy work; make an impact.
  • The one that I’m going to focus on in this post is, “If you want to make yourself invaluable to your boss, make his/her job easy.”  Naturally, this was a bit self-serving, but after becoming a people manager (he was the one who gave me my first opportunity to do so), I understood exactly what he meant. 

You see, today EVERYONE is doing 2-3 people’s jobs – everyone, including your boss.  It’s even more difficult if you are a people manager, because you are not only doing the work of 2-3 other people managers in many cases, you are being squeezed from the top, squeezed by your peers, and squeezed from the bottom.  For all of you people managers out there, you know some days it can be downright overwhelming! 

With all that comes a boss’ way, the last thing (s)he needs is an employee who makes his/her work that much harder: 

  • Always brings problems, and never offer up solutions;
  • The informal leader of the group on any and everything negative;
  • Frequently has to miss work because of split ends (okay, I’m exaggerating, but you get the point!);
  • Has absolutely, positively no initiative.  This person wouldn’t blink their eyes if the boss didn’t tell them to do it and how;
  • Always has a smart aleck remark.  

When boss’ discovers they have this type of employee, trust me when I tell you, that employee is the on “the list.”  Yes, the list to get rid of!  No boss wants a problem employee around.  However, if you seek out ways to make your boss’ job easier by volunteering for additional assignments, offering up solutions when bringing a problem, and doing your best to remain positive, your boss will work very hard to ensure you receive better career opportunities, training, and any other support (s)he can offer. 

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Until next time….