Five ways to make sure your boss remembers your name

Everyone wants to make a good impression. But it's also easy to go about this in the complete wrong way. Take for example, the new guy who thinks "I’ll do whatever my boss, or my seniors ask me to do, work my socks off, and then they’ll recognise how good I am and reward me for my efforts". That could be the result. But more often than not, this kind of worker will earn the reputation for not standing up for themselves, and putting less value on their time than they should. It can even lead to them being assigned too much work, swimming against the tide trying to keep up, and then suffering burnout and quitting. So, here are five ways to really impress your boss and make sure they remember your name for the right reasons. And that doesn’t mean sucking up.

Don’t try too hard to impress 

There’s a difference between wanting to make a good impression, and wanting to impress someone. Making a good impression means you think of yourself as a reasonable person who’d like to be seen as such, and potentially a good worker. Trying to impress someone means trying to make yourself look better than everyone else. Ask yourself, how does it feel when you meet someone who tries to make themselves look better than everyone else? Usually, people smell it a mile off, and they don’t like it.

Being friendly, pleasant, professional, but also reasonable, makes a great impression. Use your judgement and try to strike up a rapport if the opportunity arises. But don’t lie, don’t stretch the truth, and don’t sing your own praises. If you launch into a list of what you’ve done since you’ve started and how much better you are than the others, it’s not impressive. It’s the sound of someone who doesn’t care about teamwork and just wants to get ahead. Chances are that to get to your boss’s position, they have to know a thing or two about working with people. So remember to be nice, be honest, and be yourself. When you act genuinely and honestly, people notice. And that’s the best impression you can make.

Don’t be afraid to ask 

The most common problems that everyone encounters when they start a new job is not knowing who to ask, or when to ask, if something goes wrong. In general, there are a few ways you can deal with this. If it’s a very minor issue, talk to a colleague first. If not, then decide whether it’s worth escalating. If you’re really stuck and don’t know what to do, you’d better ask your boss. YES, you don’t want to be barging in every 5 minutes to ask a question BUT it’s better to get it solved than sit on it and stress, letting it get worse without finding a solution. Remember, no one expects you to be perfect and you will make mistakes. It’s how you go about fixing these mistakes that counts.

Be a problem solver, not a problem maker 

Remember that choosing not to raise a problem when it arises can really make things worse. There’s nothing worse than being in a meeting and having your boss ask "why didn’t I know about this sooner?"and the answer is you ignored the problem, hoping that it’d go away in time. If you’re ever feeling unsure then it’s important to raise it and get any problems solved straight away. Your boss wants to trust you and know that if something happens, they’ll know about it. That’s their job. If you can follow this simple rule, it means your boss will appreciate your thoughtfulness, and that you show a good level of professionalism and wisdom. And that’s how you know that your boss won’t be forgetting your name in a hurry.

Don’t worry if it doesn’t work out 

It’s worth keeping in mind the big picture. The world is a big place, with billions of us working jobs. Each of us are different, with different preferences, likes and dislikes, and ways of dealing with people. It’s possible that you and your boss just can’t get along, or it’s possible that your new boss isn’t a great boss. There’s no reason to believe that some people who shouldn’t be in leadership positions still manage to get there. While it’s not that likely, it’s certainly possible. For that reason, try not to stress it too much if you think your boss doesn’t like you. The truth is, they may do, they may not. But worrying about it won’t make anything better. All you can do is do your best. It’s cliche advice, but that’s because it’s the truth. All the time you spend worrying about whether your boss likes you or whether you’ll be able to develop any kind of strong. 

Stay motivated

Every job is about building experience and finding your way. If you have a great boss, this can make life a whole lot easier. And if you follow this advice, you’ll have a good relationship with them. Then they’ll be happy to remember you as an excellent worker and honest person who adds real value to their department. Just keep at it, keep motivated, and enjoy the journey. There will be stressful days, there will be hard days, but it’s all a process of discovery. Embrace it.