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There is nothing more important that your credibility in the workplace. If you are not credible, you won’t be taken seriously, and then you won’t get the shifts, promotions and recognition that you want and deserve. Below are 8 tips on how to build credibility at work.
Your girlfriend can’t keep calling you through the switchboard
Your personal relationships are none of your employer’s business, unless you make them such. What you do on your personal time should not have anything to do with your job and you want to be sure to keep them separate.
Of course your spouse or significant other has your cell phone number. They might also have the office number just in case. Everyone has an occasional emergency and a phone call may be necessary. Any employer understands that.
What you don’t want to do is have frequent calls at work and you never want to tie up the office line. I had a situation in which a staff member was feuding with his wife and she called the office line every two minutes, trying to disguise her voice and all manner of ridiculousness. I finally had to send him home. He wasn’t the person tying up the line, but we weren’t able to do any business and I couldn’t let that go on all day.
The healthier your relationships, the less damage they can do to your employment.
Returning a call with “Hi, it’s Ann”
There’s a good chance I just spoke with you yesterday. I spoke to many people and, if it was the first time, I probably don’t remember all the names or what the conversations were about without checking my notes.
When you make a business call, unless it’s to someone you know well and who is expecting your call, introduce yourself and remind the person why you’re calling. If they remember you, great. If not, you haven’t put them in a position of having to ask.
This goes the same for meeting people out of context. Please don’t approach someone and accuse them of not remembering you. Instead, say “Hi, not sure you remember me, I’m Ann from accounting.” The person will probably respond, “Yes, of course,” whether or not they know who you are.
I had this experience on the weekend at a community event. Someone said hello and said, “You don’t know who I am, do you?” I knew he looked familiar, but couldn’t place him. He continued, too. Didn’t just introduce himself, but continued to accuse me of not recognizing him. Truly obnoxious. It turned out he was someone from another department at work. I never viewed him the same way. All I could think about whenever I saw him was what poor social skills he used in public. He lost all credibility with me.
Don’t fail to do your job because you think someone else isn’t doing theirs
I’ve mentioned this in other posts, but it bears repeating. Do not base your behavior at work on the behavior of others who are not doing a good job.
Show up on time even if others are late.
Do a thorough job even if you think others are cutting corners.
Your employer does know who is shirking off and who isn’t showing up on time. Worry about doing the right thing yourself. If others aren’t doing the right thing, it will catch up with them. Don’t be the person who loses all credibility due to poor work performance, no matter what the reason.
Don’t start a sentence with what you’re not going to do
Really, don’t ever do this. Ask a question if you’re unclear or ask for clarification. But don’t ever start a sentence at work with what you’re not going to do.
If you don’t understand how to submit your time, join a meeting, etc., take some initiative
Every job has its own systems for email, timecards, video conferencing and other tasks. You will be given information when you start your job. If you need further assistance, ask for it. Do not fail to use the system and wait for someone to ask you about it. You are expected to check your email. If you don’t understand how to do so, ask. But don’t act as if it is someone else’s fault when you are asked about an email that you didn’t see because you chose not to learn the system.
Proactively give your employer your new phone number or address
You might not be on call, but your employer may need to reach you from time to time. If you change your phone number, as so many people do, proactively give the new number to your employer. Do not wait to be asked or for there to be a situation where your employer was not able to get in touch with you.
If I am calling to invite an employee for additional shifts or a special project, I am not going to call back if the number I have on file is disconnected. I am going to ask for the new number the next time I see that employee, but it won’t be to invite them for the opportunity. They have lost credibility and I can’t count on them.
If you have the option for overtime, don’t call out from an extra shift
Some jobs give you the opportunity for picking up extra shifts, often being paid overtime if it comes to more than forty hours worked during the week. (Please note that overtime is for hours worked. Holiday, sick and vacation hours do not count toward overtime.)
Some places have required overtime. If so, you know it when you become an employee and will have arranged your life around that knowledge. I never require people to do overtime. If an employee just wants to work their regular forty hours and no more, that’s fine, as long as they do a good job. Some really want the extra shifts.
The only rule is that if you call out for an overtime shift that you accepted or requested, you will never again be offered another extra shift.
That’s what a big deal it is. Don’t accept extra shifts that you can’t work and don’t call out once you have accepted an overtime shift.
Transportation to work is not your employer’s problem
Yes, things happen. Cars break down, you don’t have gas money, the bus has been re-routed. But this is really important. If you’re working because you need to support yourself (which is just about everyone), you have to think ahead a little.
Please don’t call your employer saying you can’t get to work. This is not your employer’s problem. You have to put gas in the car, even if just a little bit, to be able to get to work. Because if you can’t get to work, then you won’t have a job at all and I guess the gas won’t matter.
If you choose to work someplace that requires you to use a toll road or bridge, you have to budget in the toll for every day of work. You can’t fail to show up at work because you didn’t have toll money. You knew about the commute before you accepted the position.
Click here for more tips on how to establish credibility at work.
