“Personal Profitability #15: Be super vigilante about your job security: be the “go to person” in your group, raise your hand, work hard. Watch for warning signs: getting layered, not involved in important events, no exposure to senior people, going multiple years without a promotion or raise.”
We’re all remote….so does anything change?
So here are the things I recommend when you work for a boss who is not located in your site. Some of you have remote bosses already or bosses you never saw. But when everyone is remote, what can you do?
- Communicate consistently and in email. You might say “But I see everyone all the time on these calls!”. Nevertheless, it’s important to stay disciplined on what you’re doing and accomplishing. I like the Friday “end of the week” recap….I did this when I was consulting and my boss was super busy. Pretty simple structure: what I did this week, what did I accomplish…anything I thought my boss needed to know. The second part was what I was planning to do the following week: big meetings, project updates. Nothing complicated, not more than one page. But he knew what was going on. If your boss is asked what you’re working on, you don’t want the answer to be “I’m not sure.”
- Make sure your deliverables/expectations/outcomes for 2020 are clear. Now is not the time for fuzzy projects, nice to haves, lack of clarity on what the outcomes are. Yes, the world changed. But companies will still have year end performance reviews.
- Don’t lose touch with your mentors/colleagues. Yes, everyone’s super busy. But you can still have a quick “catchup” of 15 minutes with the people who matter to you. It’s a good way to stay connected…even a quick email will suffice. Make the time to stay connected.
- Don’t lose touch with the people you mentor: now more than ever, they will need an ear.
- People are still hiring: Keep your resume updated, make sure you’re being challenged. If there’s a gap you can fill, raise your hand. Don’t let yourself fall into a rut.