Everyone has the desire to advance in their career or receive a pay raise, but it is rare to find an employee who asks, “What can I add to the company?”
Employers want their workers to do well and would rather not lose their best money-makers. By giving your employer something of value, you not only show that you care about your team and the business as a whole, but you also keep your career on the right track.
Here are five reasons why and how you should start giving your employer more value:
1. Be a keen problem solver
Employers benefit from workers who are eager to come up with new ways to solve business problems. Finding a solution to a problem can give a business an edge over its competitors, especially if it frees up workers to work on other things. This could happen, for example, if you and your team found a way to finish a project earlier than expected. This would let you and your team focus on something else.
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2. Take the lead
Many employers look for people who can take on tasks when asked or on their own. When business is busy, taking the initiative to help your team members will not only help your boss, but it will also put you in good standing with your team. If you know that one of your coworkers is having trouble getting through their work, offering to help will be well received by your coworkers and show your boss that you don’t only care about yourself.
3. Always looking for ways to improve
Money is time. If you can find ways to improve productivity and efficiency, you add value to your job by saving your employer’s valuable time and money. This could be done by streamlining a business process or finding a way for the business to work with internal teams on budgeting and forecasting.
4. Stay up-to-date with your technical skills
When hiring for a new job, employers look for skilled professionals with up-to-date skills. They also prefer candidates who stay up-to-date on relevant regulations and industry changes while they are in the role. Keep your skills up-to-date by taking courses and webinars to learn about new accounting rules. CIMA has training and courses that can help you improve your technical skills and get more qualified.
5. Work on how you talk to people
Accounting and finance have changed over time and now play a bigger part in business. Employers expect finance workers to be able to talk to people in other parts of the business with ease. By improving their communication skills, professionals can work better with others in their business when presenting results or new ideas. Employers value professionals who can explain their findings and what they mean in a way that the rest of the business can understand. You can improve your communication skills by taking courses on public speaking, offering to write memos, or running meetings.
Successful professionals are always looking for ways to move up in their careers and are always getting better at what they do. Focusing on one goal or skill at a time is the best way for finance professionals to improve their skills as a whole.
It doesn’t hurt to ask yourself if you’re living up to your boss’s expectations and if you can do more work. Why? When it comes to getting paid more or moving up in your career, the best way to do either is to show that you went above and beyond what was asked of you. If you can give specific examples of how you’ve helped a company, you’ll be in a good position to ask for a raise or move up in your career.
