10 Ways to make yourself fireproof at your job!

The last few decades have brought a lot of changes in the business world. From the dot-com bubble, to the financial collapse, the pandemic and remote work, and now many changes due to ultra modern processes and the proliferation of Artificial Intelligence.

Today, employees work an average of 4.2 years at an employer. Whether you’re working for a Fortune 500 company, small business or startup, here are 10 ways you can actively work towards making yourself fireproof at your job.

#1: Dress for success every day.

Dressing for success can still mean “business casual”, but be consistent in dressing with style and professionalism daily. Most studies show that employees that dress for success regularly are more likely to get promoted and earn a higher income.

#2: First one in, last one to leave.

Making a habit of being the first person on your team to arrive at the office each day, and the last one to clock-out daily makes you more reliable. This is easy to do and gives leadership more confidence in keeping you on the team long-term.

#3: Be an incredible positive brand ambassador.

This is something I talk about a lot. Don’t be that “toxic employee”. Being a regular cheerleader for the business and speaking positively about the company, the leadership team, your products & services, and the job to co-workers and customers will bless both you and the business. This is often under-valued by executives, but these positive brand ambassadors many times are what is causing the boom in revenue and market share. Be a light for the business.

#4: Don’t play politics, but be mindful of your personal brand in the company.

Playing politics can be serious office warfare. Some companies can have a few very shady corporate climbers that will only think of their own gain at every turn. You don’t have to get involved in this madness to survive. However, make sure you are aware of your “personal brand” in the company. Stay on top of what your boss, your co-workers, and the leadership team think of you. Be sure to correct any negative perceptions if they popup periodically. Unfortunately, this is something you will want to actively manage to stay with a company long-term.

#5: Get your work done while being a strong team player.

To further increase your value to the business, it’s not only important to deliver high quality work on time. Make sure you’re being a strong team player in meetings, at events, and helping to drive group projects across the finish line.

#6: Say yes to random requests.

Sometimes other departments such as operations, finance, sales, and so on will reach out to you with one-off project collaborations that they need your help with. These are rare on a monthly basis, but much of the time this is the only time they get a look at the kind of work you produce. Make sure you hit a homerun on these collaboration projects. It will boost your personal brand in the office, and help with promotions, bonuses and raises.

#7: Stay on top of your KPI’s daily.

These days, every company has KPI’s they are tracking. If you’re not familiar, this stands for “Key Performance Indicators”. Usually these weekly, monthly, and annual goals are tied to much bigger core company goals for the year. Hitting homeruns on your KPIs consistently is what will lead to bigger raises when its time for your annual review. Keep track of every contribution you make to the company - in detail. This is your leverage for promotions and pay increases.

#8: Step-in and help team members when needed, but don’t giveaway your secret sauce.

Maybe you’ve had that first entry level job where everyone welcomes you, but no one wants to help you learn how to hit homeruns at your new role. That can suck, and this is a reason why there are so many coaches today.

As a team member, be the employee that steps in and helps an underperforming team member. This will bless you, I promise. You can help them improve their performance without giving away your “secret sauce” that’s made you a top performing after 5 or 10 years in the industry. You will make yourself more valuable without “training your replacement” so to speak.

#9: Always be learning (ABL).

This is something that always came natural to me. I’m always reading, learning, studying the competition, learning that new software, trying new things, etc. The more you learn about being better at your job, the more valuable you are to your employer. Plus, you become more marketable if anything should happen down the road. Stay on top of changes in your role and industry.

#10: Make your boss look good. Keep them happy.

All these things will help you become more fire proof, but always remember that making your supervisor happy is priority #1. Aside from doing all of the above, make sure you are progressing your relationship with your direct manager. Stay on top of their “happiness level” with your performance on their team.

I hope you’ve found these 10 tips valuable. If you’re a business that needs someone to take an outside look on how you can improve and grow towards your vision OR you are a young professional curious about how to accelerate your learning curve in the business world - you can schedule a free 30-minute 1:1 coaching session with me HERE.