Are you looking for ways to impress the boss at work? You found them!
Of course, if you really want to impress the boss, you should focus on working hard, being responsible and doing really good work. Basically, its'a about being a better employee, as we wrote about in a previous article. However, doing those things doesn’t always get you noticed.
Unfortunately, doing good work sometimes just lumps you together with everyone else who is doing good work. It’s the bad work that will get you noticed, but you don’t want that kind of attention!
If you really want to stand out and get noticed by your boss so they will recognize all of the great work you are doing, follow the tips we’ve outlined below. They will go a long way toward impressing your boss and getting the rest of your hard work noticed.
1Make the Coffee
This is a great tip to impress everyone at the office, not just your boss. Make sure there is always coffee in the coffee pot. Everyone likes to drink it, but nobody likes to make it.
You can even go a step further and casually ask your boss if they want a cup when you are on the way to get one for yourself. However, be careful about this. You want to impress the boss by being considerate; you don’t want to annoy him or her by bothering them too much. One time per day should be your limit.
One caveat here is that this only works if you actually drink coffee. If you make the coffee but don’t drink it you will give off the impression that you are only doing it to score points.
2Beat Your Boss Into the Office
Most people start work at about the same time every day, and that applies to your boss too. An easy way to impress your boss is to be working at your desk when they arrive. If your boss usually comes in at 7:25, make it a goal to be working by 7:20.
3Don’t Underestimate “Good Morning”
Regardless of how you feel in the morning, make it a point to say good morning when your boss walks in. It is a simple thing to do, but it gives your boss the impression that you have a positive attitude and are ready to work.
4Look for Ways to Volunteer
This is a tricky one because you have to balance new tasks with your current workload. However, a great way to impress the boss is to be he first one to raise your hand when they ask for volunteers. The caveat is that you should only volunteer for things that you know you can get completed.
5Say Thanks
Your mother was right, good manners make a great impression. The next time your boss gives you a promotion or a pay raise, make it a point to thank them. You can even do this if they give you new project or go out of their way to tell you about the good work that you did.
If you are uncomfortable sending them a thank you card, at least take the time to send them an email. There are not very many things that make a better impression than good manners. Do you like it when someone appreciates what you do? Your boss does too.
6Learn to Fix the Printer
Every workplace has the “go to” guy when office equipment stops working. An easy way to impress the boss is to be that person. Learn how to fix a jam in the printer, add new toner and fix the common problems that come up.
This will really pay off when your boss is scrambling to get ready for a big meeting and they are having problems with the printer.
7Identify the Keywords
Listen to the way your boss speaks in meetings and the phrases they use. Then try to incorporate those phrases into your own communication.
This isn’t about copying what they say, that will be annoying to both your boss and your co-workers. The focus of this tip is to show them that you are on the same page as them.
8Develop Procedures
Problems are going to happen at work and you will make mistakes once in a while. The best way to impress the boss when this happens is to explain about the procedural error that happened. Then follow this up by telling them that you will update the procedures so that it won’t happen again.
What Do You Think?
Do you have any other tips on how to impress the boss?
