Job Security: How to Become One of Your Company's Most Valued Employees

In today's world, many people have become passionate about their jobs and want to ensure that they become valuable team members with job security. If this is the case for you, now is the time to start thinking about which steps you can implement to become one of your company's most valued employees. Below you will find just four techniques that can help you realize this goal:

Obtain Another Degree Or Certification

One of the best ways to improve your job security is by obtaining another degree or certification, such as an online bachelor of business. The more skills you have, the more indispensable you become within the company. Also note that obtaining additional education will typically keep you up to date regarding the best practices and methodologies being used within your industry. And as noted by the Huffington Post, learning new skills and approaches makes you more relevant in an ever-changing work world. Your boss will appreciate your ability to maintain a cutting edge, informed approach to work.

Take Initiative

Taking initiative is another strategy you can implement to become one of your company's most valued employees. This technique is effective because it shows your boss that you have a leader mentality, thereby distinguishing you from individuals who simply do what they're told. Individuals with a leadership mentality are oftentimes the first to be considered for promotions, and they are oftentimes granted the additional responsibilities that will qualify them for advancement within the company. There are several ways that you can start taking initiative, but one of the best ways is by simply asking questions. An example would include "Do you think we could improve sales by implementing a digital marketing strategy? I have a friend who could design a state-of-the-art website with cutting edge product pages."

Be Sociable

Although this strategy may not seem relevant to job security, it is. In fact, being sociable can make you a more valuable staff member for many reasons. First, sociable people help diffuse office tensions that could lead to a hostile work environment. Second, sociable people tend to work well in teams, thereby increasing the likelihood that group projects will be completed quickly and correctly. With these realities in mind, make sure that you are not isolating yourself from your co-workers. Attend office parties and make a point to periodically stop by the break room and chat with staff members.

Set SMART Goals

SMART goals are objectives that are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Realistic
• Time-specific

Setting these goals is a good idea because it makes you more organized in your approach to completing work-related tasks. Additionally, creating SMART goals helps you understand which steps you'll need to take to complete an assignment. Finally, studies show that individuals who write down their goals tend to accomplish more than those who don't. With all this in mind, know that setting goals will help you get things done in a precise, expedient manner. This will draw positive attention to you and make you a more valuable employee.

If you're serious about becoming one of your organization's most valued employees, now is the time to implement your strategic plan. You can use some or all of the strategies discussed above to ensure that you attain job security while maintaining good standing with your boss and co-workers.