I learned the hard way that I wasn’t appreciated by my former employer, and that, while I didn’t necessarily want to leave the company, I wanted to build my career elsewhere.

I have spoken to a lot of people who feel the same way and stated that the only reason they left their previous company was because they either felt unappreciated or it was constantly thrown at their faces that they were dispensable. Whilst I firmly believe that at some point, anyone can be dispensable, I do believe that you can make yourself indispensable – at least, until you’re ready to pack up and leave. Making yourself indispensable to anyone, much less a company is no easy feat.  You need to ask yourself some certain questions such as:

1. What can you do to make yourself indispensable in your organisation?
2. What skill sets do you have that are in demand?
3. What can you do to make your company more productive?
4. What does your company define as ‘worth’ and how can you align yourself with that?

How Do You Make Yourself Indispensable To A Company And Secure Your Position?

1. Show up & Show up on time

I’m not talking about going to work, no! It’s being present and working hard on the task at hand. If you are going to be an indispensable employee, you must show up for work every day and make sure that your co-workers know they can count on your help when needed.

Showing up on time. This may seem obvious but many people forget this simple fact about being Indispensable Employees! It doesn’t matter how much experience you have or what kind of qualifications are required for your position; if a meeting starts late or gets cancelled because someone didn’t show up (or worse yet – left early), then everyone loses out. Also, showing up on time means meeting up with deadlines. It shows that you are capable, reliable and efficient. Don’t be redundant.

2. Take note of things that need to be done and do them

The best way to secure your position is by taking note of things that need to be done and doing them at the appropriate time.

The first step in this process is being proactive about your responsibilities, making sure you know what’s expected of you and how much time it takes to complete the task. You can also ask questions when necessary or if there’s something unclear about an assignment. Do not be afraid to ask if there’s anything else that needs to be done.

In doing this, it is important that you are approachable and be part of the team. Being a team player will help keep everyone on track with their work tasks, as well as make sure everyone knows what they’re supposed to be doing at any given time—so don’t forget! Being able to take initiative will also go a long way toward securing your job; remember: If someone else has already taken care of something before you—even though you weren’t aware that the department was lacking some key piece needed for completion—then that person has become an integral part of that success, regardless of whether or not they are in your team. The goal is to solidify your presence. Be competitive; healthy competition is good.

3. Don’t complain

Before you start coming for my head, read on. I understand that there are times when you would complain about one or two things about the company or its people, but see it as voicing out issues that need improving on. When you complain, you are simply expressing dissatisfaction or annoyance about something and when this is done repeatedly, you then begin to seem like you are impatient, intolerable and that you’re the problem. Hence complaining is a waste of time, except if it is done properly and objectively. It can be contagious, and it not only makes you feel worse but makes others feel worse too.

Complaining (especially if you do it often) can make you look bad in front of the person (or people) who’s complaining about your work ethic or attitude, which could result in your boss(es) believing them. And once that happens, you will notice a shift that is definitely not in your favour.

4. Accept feedback without defensiveness

When you receive feedback, it’s important to take the time to understand what it is and why it was given. If you find yourself getting defensive or arguing with the feedback, consider whether there may be some validity in what has been said.

Ask clarifying questions if necessary. If the feedback doesn’t make sense or seems incorrect, ask for more information so that you can evaluate its validity more objectively. This shows that you’re interested in learning and want to become better. 

5. Use your resources, but don’t hoard them.

Don’t hoard resources. Be careful not to be too controlling, especially in the beginning. As you get more experienced, your ability to lead will improve and you’ll be able to delegate more effectively. However, if you’re not careful here then it could cause resentment among other team members who feel like they’re being taken advantage of by an individual who has been promoted into management. No one would want to be in your team and like it or not, you need a team!

The key to success in your career is to constantly strive to be the best at what you do. That doesn’t mean you have to work till you drop or sacrifice your personal life, but instead we all need to be willing to step-up, accept challenges and take on new challenges, especially when moving to a new company. Look at your career as a series of stages, with each position getting you closer to achieving your goals, then you will be able to assess where you are in each position and decide if you should stay put or look for new opportunities.

On the other hand, if you’re content where you are, that’s good, but if you’re not then you’ll need to ask yourself why. If you’re unhappy in your current role, or feel that you just aren’t progressing, then you need to identify why. It could be that you’re not being challenged, that you aren’t seeing the results of your hard work, or that you are lacking knowledge in certain areas. There are lots of reasons why you may be feeling this way, but essentially you need to ask yourself how you are going to change that. Maybe it’s time to talk to your manager about the issues you’re having or discuss your lack of progression with your boss.

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Thanks for reading. Until next time, be good and be you!

Written by: MaryBarbara A. Ugboma.