Explore 11 proven ways to demonstrate your value at work. Many professionals would say one of the most important skills to master is being able to prove your true value. In an interview, with only a few minutes to connect your skills and experience to the role’s bottom line, it’s essential to be strategic about how you present yourself.
Once you’re in your role, it becomes even more important to demonstrate your worth. Negotiating a raise, asking for a promotion, or taking on new responsibilities all require a clear understanding of your worth to your employer.
Here are 11 proven ways to demonstrate your value at work:
1. Keep track of accomplishments
It’s hard to talk about all that you’ve achieved if you have to recall them off the top of your head. Whether you send customer support emails or make calls, note how productive you are on a daily, weekly, and quarterly basis. Don’t forget to write down or recap major successes. How do you demonstrate your value at work if you can’t recall your successes when it counts?
2. Select the right metrics
When proving your value, it’s important to know how to translate that to the company’s bottom line. Is your department most focused on email click conversions? Or is it more important for you to ensure the project comes in under budget? Quantify your contributions in concrete, meaningful ways. Focus on nailing the key deliverables for your role before looking for new ways to add value.
3. Build a narrative
It can be tempting to want to stand out by contributing everywhere you can. If you want to go above and beyond, it’s more important to master your workload before offering to help out in new places. Identify your strengths early on and build on your past accomplishments each week. Knowing what you’re great at and finding challenging aspects of the work that can make use of this key strength of yours is a great way to nail one of these 11 proven ways to demonstrate your value at work. Knowing how to also build a narrative to showcase success is vital.
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4. Learn to sell yourself
Avoid the temptation to minimize your work and take credit for what you’ve achieved. You don’t have to be a salesman all the time, this just means not being shy to mention something you really did well. A key aspect of these 11 proven ways to demonstrate your value at work is knowing how to pitch when it comes to your successes. You are your own salesman! So, derive a sales pitch that is convincing and sound. Moreover, if you are vying for a higher position or pay increase at work, you will need to be prepared to pitch why they should consider you.
5. Think about the larger picture
Understand how your work directly impacts your company as a whole. What’s the bottom line for your organization? This may mean that you can say you brought in an exact amount in additional revenue, or it can mean something harder to quantify. For instance, if you improved a process that everyone adopted to communicate, you have helped the entire company, and you should know how to take credit for that.
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Infographic – 11 proven ways to demonstrate your value at work:
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6. Communicate consistently
Whether it’s weekly updates or quarterly meetings, regularly share your contributions with your manager. This helps your manager see how productive you are and communicates your passion for your role.
7. Use precise language
When you finish a project, don’t shy from taking credit. Avoid saying “we” accomplished something when talking about a project you did alone.
8. Acknowledge the support you received
Be careful not to take full credit for something you couldn’t do alone. Giving credit to your team where it’s due shows maturity and an understanding of the projects.
9. Don’t wait for a performance review
When you accomplish something noteworthy, send your manager an email outlining the result. It may feel a bit unnatural at first but think of it like sharing the good news.
10. Help your coworkers
You don’t always have to brag — be there for your team and your hard work will get back to your manager. If you see someone struggling to pull a late night at the office, check-in with them. Make yourself available for questions, and send helpful insights to newer team members.
11. Quantify your contribution
Numbers are persuasive, so calculate how much your efforts have driven sales or saved the company. It may take some time or digging to effectively quantify your work, but it’s still the time investment will be well worth it.
Now that you have explored these 11 proven ways to demonstrate your value at work, what else can you add? Let’s hear from you. Add your comments below.
Remember, the best way to keep your job is to show your employer that you are highly valuable that they simply can’t exist in some vital areas without you and your key skills. A great part of proving your value at work includes challenging and motivating yourself to do great work and take control of your own career.
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Written by Brigid Ludwig
Brigid is a writer who helps Turbo create helpful and compelling stories worth sharing. She has a background in digital marketing and creative writing and focuses on advice for navigating your career and professional life. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, reading, and learning to cook.
