You know you do your job well. In fact, you do it so well it’s become a bit tedious. You’re ready for a new challenge – but how do you show your boss it’s time to give you more responsibility?
Here are four ways to position yourself for new challenges:
Engage your scholarly brain.
Get proactive about additional training or certification. Spend some time looking up options and enroll in those that offer the best fit with your career and your goals. As part of your search, consider talking to your supervisor about your options; you may find an opportunity you didn’t know existed, and you’ll demonstrate you take charge of your own learning.
Strive for 100 percent.
One of the best ways to show any supervisor that you’re being underutilized is to turn in work that is 100 percent complete and accurate 100 percent of the time. It’s easy to let mistakes slip in when you’re bored, but to your boss, mistakes don’t communicate boredom; they say, “I still have things to learn.” Instead, strive for perfect work to show you can easily go above and beyond your current tasks.
Volunteer your help.
If a new project appears and you want to participate, volunteer your assistance. It’s a low-stakes, “ground-floor” way to demonstrate you’re interested in certain projects, and it gives your team members a chance to see what you can contribute – and to let your boss know how well you did.
Ask for another review.
Don’t wait until next year to find out how your boss thinks you’re doing or to learn where to focus your efforts. Schedule a meeting with your supervisor for a mid-year “check in” on your performance. Talk about goals set at your last performance review and ask for concrete advice on improvement. You’ll demonstrate you’re engaged, and you care about your career, and you’ll get the information you need to take the most effective next step.
At Kent Legal, our recruiters focus on connecting legal support professionals with some of the best available jobs and employers in the greater Toronto area. To learn more about how we can help you move your career forward, contact us today.