BULLETPROOF YOUR JOB

By John Tschohl

Many employees go to work each day wondering how long they might have
their jobs. The fear of joining the ranks of the unemployed is a very
real one. Bankruptcies and layoffs are in the news almost daily, giving
testimony to the weakening of the economy and the increasing numbers of
the unemployed.


While the economy worldwide is making it necessary for many
companies to reduce their employee rosters, there are steps you can
take to help ensure that you do not fall victim to corporate
downsizing. In fact, it is critical that you do whatever you can to
bulletproof your job.


I recommend that you take the following five steps to make yourself
so indispensable that your company wouldn’t dream of letting you go:


1. Ask to take on more responsibility. Willingly taking on more
responsibility sends a message that you are committed to your job and
your organization and that you are a team player. Offer to help with
whatever needs to be done—and do it on time and with a smile. When you
over-fill your position, you will earn the respect of your coworkers
and your boss.


2. Manage your time well and focus on taking care of the customer. Get
to work early and stay late. Do whatever is necessary to get the job
done and done right. Identify problems and seek solutions. Make small
decisions promptly. Don’t procrastinate. Organize and execute around
priorities. Do the most important, or most difficult, tasks first.
Group related activities and do them at the same time. Go out of your
way to provide exceptional service to your organization’s customers.
The customers will thank you—and your superiors will notice you.


3. Learn everything you can about your industry, your customers, and
your organization’s products and services. It’s important to know how
to handle the technical aspects of your job, but people skills are
equally important. Take advantage of any training and tuition
reimbursement your organization offers. Look for training outside the
company, as well. Even if you have to pay for it yourself, it’s a great
investment in yourself and your future. Read books on customer service,
and read at least one book a month on self-improvement. When you are
knowledgeable, you will be noticed. And, when you are noticed, your job
not only will be secure, the probability of a promotion will increase
dramatically.


4. Be positive. No one—not your customers, your co-workers, or your
managers—wants to associate with someone who is always negative or
complaining. On the other hand, a can-do attitude and a smile go a long
way toward building solid relationships and earning the respect of
others. Don’t associate with negative people, on or off the job. Their
attitudes will eventually rub off on you and drag you down.


5. See yourself as you want to be tomorrow, not as you are today.
Develop a written game plan for your future. Believe in yourself and be
confident in your abilities. Spend one hour a day on your own time
building yourself up. Learn to become better at customer service,
better at sales, better at whatever the job entails. Develop a healthy
self-image. Remember that the way you see yourself determines the way
others see you.


When the economy is bad, under-performers are the first to be let
go. Make yourself so valuable to the company that you outshine those
around you with your knowledge, dedication, enthusiasm, and commitment.
Do that and you will bulletproof your job.

John Tschohl, an international service strategist and speaker, is
founder and president of the Service Quality Institute in Minneapolis,
Minnesota. Described by Time and Entrepreneur magazines as a customer
service guru, he has written several books on customer service,
including Ca$hing In: Make More Money, Get a Promotion, Love Your Job;
Loyal for Life; e-Service; Achieving Excellence Through Customer
Service; and The Customer is Boss. The Service Quality Institute has
developed more than 26 customer service training programs that have
been distributed and presented throughout the world. John’s bimonthly
strategic newsletter is available online at no charge.