Characteristics of a valuable and outstanding employee

  • Ask the right questions
  • Be unique
  • Dedicated
  • Dependable
  • Diligent
  • Don’t wait for a title or compensation to do the work
  • Eager to prove others wrong
  • Exceed expectations
  • Be flexible
  • Give credit to others
  • Goal-oriented
  • Good time management
  • Great attitude
  • Learn
  • Listen to instructions
  • Motivated
  • Multi-skilled
  • On time
  • Opportunistic
  • People orientated
  • Proactive
  • Problem solver
  • Self-disciplined
  • Stay healthy
  • Strong work ethic
  • Tactful
  • Take initiative
  • Take responsibility
  • Team player
  • Think for themselves
  • Trustworthy and reliable
Career Advancement

Career advancement encompasses everything you do from the time you begin your career until the time you retire (McKay, n.d.)

Tips on advancing your career:

  • Be willing to invest your own money – invest money in formal training and developmental activities. Doing so will ensure you have a personal and professional edge over others (Soules, 2013).
  • Communicate your way to success – be upfront about career goals. Communicate your goals to those around you so they won’t be left guessing about what it is you aspire to do (Soules, 2013).
  • Find a mentor – a mentor can be anyone who has several years of work experiene to guide you (Jamestomerson, n.d.).
  • Grow in the job you have – take on added responsibilities and do more than what is asked of you (Garfinkle, 2012).
  • Help others succeed – don’t throw away the chance to help other people reach their goals. When you help others succeed, they feel compelled to help and support your career development efforts. Helping others succeed says much about what your are willing to bring to the table (Soules, 2013).
  • Identify your advancement goals – be clear on your career goals. Make a written list of goals you would like to achieve with a time frame for reaching them. Break the goals down into short and long-term objectives (Soules, 2013).
  • Keep your eyes on your role model – establish which qualities set them apart from others (Jamestomerson, n.d.).
  • Learn your way to success and constantly improve your skills – learn the skills needed. Understand what skills, knowledge and behaviours are required to operate at the next level. Begin to show skills, knowledge and behaviours in your work (Soules, 2013).
  • Reflect well on others – make sure that your work reflects well on those around you and try to create a positive impression. Your actions should say you are a leader who takes initiative, has self-confidence and can handle the responsibility required to do professional work (Garfinkle, 2012).
  • Say “no” to stretch assignments – choose strategically which responsibilities you want to take outside your job description (Miller, 2013).
  • Seek opportunities where others are not looking – to notice and identify unique or unknown opportunities, think differently from your peers. Liberate yourself from the confines of your current way of thinking and be creative and unconventional (Garfinkle, 2012).
  • Take on challenging assignments – take on challenges others are afraid of. Those willing to take on challenging assignments are noticed as well as highly valued (Soules, 2013).
Further reading

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

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