St. Patrick's Day is widely celebrated throughout the United States with lots of shamrocks, corned beef and green beer. Every March 17th, it seems like everyone is Irish, no matter what genetics would say.
Though you might feel lucky as a leprechaun who just found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow on St. Patrick's Day, we believe that you make your own luck when it comes to your job search. Jobs don't usually just appear at the end of a rainbow (although if you've found one there, let us know!). Instead, they require effort to get, keep and excel at.
One doesn't become a great employee by luck alone. Here's a few tips and tricks on how to make your own luck when it comes to your job without finding a four leaf clover.
Always have an updated resume and bring extra copies with you!
No matter where you're at, a job fair, interview, conference, make sure you always have an up-to-date copy of your resume on hand. You never know when you'll meet someone or someone will ask to see your resume. Though we have LinkedIn (which you should also keep up-to-date) and business cards, having a resume on hand ensures that the person asking will look at your experience since it's right in front of them!
Get to know your manager.
Make your boss's life easier and you'll make your life easier. Know how your manager likes to work and see how your work style fits into that. For instance, does he/she prefer verbal communication or emails? Do they want weekly check-ins or as needed meetings? Come to a consensus on how to best deliver the things your manager needs done and you'll be golden.
Meet or beat your deadlines.
Every job, no matter what it is, has deadlines. Making sure you're on track to meet or beat these deadlines can set you apart from other employees. Time management is a great skill to possess. If you can ensure deadlines are being met, you'll save the company lots of money which is always a good thing! For more on time management, see this article on Entrepreneur.
Be open-minded.
Successful employees don't say no to projects or people that might be a little different than what they're used to. Being open-minded and taking on something new will help you learn and expand your skill set. In addition, be open-minded to the people you work with and venture out of your cube or office to get to know them. Working is always better when you get to know your team!
Don't forget to set goals.
The best employees are always setting and working towards goals. There's always an objective. Ask yourself what the main goal is of a certain project or what you'd like to accomplish over the next year at your position. Learning to get results and achieve goals, no matter how small or large, is gratifying and will help you show your value and worth in the workplace during review time.
This St. Patrick's Day, we hope that you enjoy all things green, but remember that the luck of the Irish only happens once a year. The rest of the year, make your own luck!
