Career success involves more than going to work expecting
to perform the regular duties listed in your job
description. Just doing your job is part of the
work-for-pay deal you made with your employer.
For some, the day will come when the boss asks for more.
For example, you'll be asked to train others in a
particular function, perhaps even your own job! It means
more work, that isn't part of your current role, for the
same pay. Should you be professional and accept the
training assignment or be assertive and refuse to take it
on unless they pay you extra?
Let's look at this situation a little more closely. There's
more to it than first meets the eye. Here are 5 really good
reasons you should always accept, especially when training
is not your job!
1) Your paid job exists to further your employer's
interests. Hopefully the employment relationship is one
where both of you get as much as you need and little you
don't.
There's nothing wrong with drawing lines in the sand if
you're happy playing in a smaller sandbox indefinitely.
However, if the employer is not asking you to do anything
illegal, unethical, or immoral you should give training
others your best shot without expecting extra pay because
it's not part of your regular job.
You earn the right to get paid more for it by doing this
training so well it adds irreplaceable and/or immeasurable
value to your employer. Getting paid extra doesn't have to
be money, many other forms of compensation recognize
outstanding contribution "above and beyond" the call of
duty. Several of these are even more valuable than cash.
2) When an employer asks you to do something out of your
comfort zone, it usually means they see potential in you
that you may not have noticed yet and are willing to invest
in you more than others in the company. They gamble that
you will come through for them as needed. (After all, they
are taking a risk you'll deliver an acceptable result.)
3) When an employer asks you to take on training others
specifically, they are placing the future of their company
in the hands of your perceived abilities, experience and
expertise. If that's not a tremendous vote of confidence in
you, I don't know what is. Sometimes they've asked you
because they have big plans for your future; plans they
haven't shared yet.
4) Such an assignment exponentially increases your network
and visibility. Career success is not about who you know;
it's about who knows you! People you've helped train to be
successful make great allies and supporters for you in the
future. Nothing beats a word-of-mouth testimonial for your
professional contribution, support and expert knowledge.
5) Stepping outside of your defined job role is the fast
track to success. Quite often rapid career success happens
because someone in power was willing to take a risk on you
(sometimes a risk so large failure could cost them their
own reputations) even though the true extent of your
abilities is yet unknown and unproven.
Accept the challenge and you just might find many of the
career opportunities that bring you the greatest
satisfaction would never have been experienced if you
hadn't. There's a pretty good chance they were never on the
list of things you planned to do with your life.
We live in a world of unlimited possibility. Don't shut
yourself off with short-sighted thinking by not accepting a
great assignment just because no extra pay is offered up
front or it's something you've never done before and you're
afraid to give it a try.
Does fear play a role in holding ourselves back? It does,
but only if you let it. Successful people don't have more
courage than average people, they're just willing feel the
fear and take that next step into the unknown anyway. And
they are willing to do more than average people will not,
even when the payoff is not immediately apparent and no
extra cash is involved.
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Download more free career tips and great advice at
http://www.smartstartcoach.com
Career advancement expert
and mentor Linda M. Lopeke is a leading authority on how to
succeed in the 21st century workplace and the creator of
SMARTSTART Mentoring Programs: Success-to-go for people
working @ the speed of life.
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