Get Noticed at your Job by Doing it with Flair 

Doing your job with "37 pieces of flair" may have entered the pop culture vernacular through the
famous movie about life working an office, Office Space, but there may just be something to it.
You might not need 37 pieces of flair, but doing your job with a little bit of flair and a lot of hard
work is a great way to get noticed in the office and to move on to bigger and better things.

How do you go about doing your job with flair? The first way to make sure you are doing your
job with distinction doesn't involve much flair at all - it simply involves doing your job and
doing it well. Know exactly what your responsibilities are and attend to them every day. Don't let
any of the things that come under your job description fall by the wayside because you think they
are unimportant. If you are unsure exactly what all of your responsibilities are, ask your boss for
a meeting and discuss your job description with them. You will get noticed simply for your
desire to make sure you are covering all of your bases and not letting any of your responsibilities
fall by the wayside.

Another way to do your job with flair is to add to the good morale in the office. Everyone has at
least one person in the office that is like a black cloud hanging in the air. Gloom, doom and
pessimism don't really have a place in the office. Even if you feel like you are heading for a fall
with the way a certain project is coming together or because someone on the team is not pulling
their weight, look for solutions instead of standing around and complaining about it. When your
attitude can help people stay on track with their work and not dread coming into the office every
day, you are bound to get noticed.

If you really want to add some flair to your work performance, learn how to manage your time
and avoid procrastination. Time management is one of the biggest problems all employees face,
and when you don't manage your time efficiently, you are not being as productive as possible for
your boss, which never wins you any fans among the management team. If you find yourself
always rushing through your work at the last minute trying to meet your deadline, try keeping a
journal of all of your activities at work for a few days. When you see how much time you
spending doing things like talking with co-workers by the water cooler and surfing the net, you
might see ways you can improve your work habits, so you can get things done well before the
deadline is pressing down on you. Increasing your productivity by managing your time is a
surefire way to earn some praise from the people over your head.

Another way to add flair to your work performance is by being a team player. It can be tempting
to thing that to have flair you have to go out on a limb and try to do everything yourself, but that
is not the case. Employers don't like to see an employee trying to hog credit for things that
everyone has worked on together or trying to one up everyone else on the staff.

When you work together with the team, you show your employer that your interests are with
making the company a success and not trying to advance you own personal agenda. If your
employer understands that you see the bigger picture of making the company succeed, you are
sure to get noticed and rewarded.
Ten Top Things That Make for a Great Employee 
What exactly makes an employee great? These ten top things are guides to bosses looking for
greatness in a new hire and for employees trying to get noticed in the workplace and be the kind
of employee who has the potential to move up in the company chain.

The first thing that makes an employee great is that they are always dependable. Great
employees do the job they are supposed to do every time, and no one has to worry that they don't
deliver the goods. A great employee can be counted to always have their work done right, when
it is supposed to be done - it is a forgone conclusion that they will, and no one else has to spend
any time worrying about it.

The second thing to look for in a great employee is that they are a team player. A great employee
isn't one who is constantly looking for attention or hogs the spotlight. Instead, a great employee
works with everyone else to make sure that the things that need to get done do get done, for the
good of the company.

The third mark of employee greatness is that they know how to take direction. Great employees
know how to take criticism, direction and advice gracefully and make it work for them when
doing their job.

Fourthly, a great employee can be trusted. They don't spread office gossip and they don't dish
company dirt. Likewise, they always tell the truth to their employer, even if it lands them in hot
water. The fifth sign of greatness in employees is linked to the fourth - a great employee always
guards the confidential nature of their business dealings and protects everyone's privacy.

The sixth thing that makes an employee great is that they participate in the day to day life of the
office. They don't bow out of meetings or skip the office birthday celebrations. These things may
not be a fun part of working life, and everyone involved knows that everyone else has some
place they would rather be - but a great employee wouldn't be any place else.

In seventh place comes the fact that a great employee gets along with other employees. Every
office has one person that is in everyone else's business and talks to loud on the phone and
generally stirs things up and gets under everyone's skin. This kind of employee zaps office
morale - a great employee is a good co-worker to everyone.

The eighth thing a great employee has is good working skills. It may sound obvious, but a great
employee has the abilities needed to do their job, and they constantly seek ways to improve, like
going to training seminars or seeking further education. Great workers have great skills.

The ninth thing that leads to employee greatness is tact and decorum. If there is a problem in the
office, a great employee doesn't make a scene in front of everyone else. A great employee will
deal with such issues with privacy and diplomacy. Further, a great employee doesn't tell
tasteless, political or religious jokes, nor do they send emails that tell these kinds of jokes.
Last but not least, a great employee has a great attitude. Bad attitudes bring everyone down. A
great employee helps make work great for everyone else by having a good spirit about their job.

How to Be the Employee Your Company Can't Live

How to Be the Employee Your Company Can't Live Without: 18 Ways to Become
Indispensable

by: Glenn Shepard

Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 02/24/2010)

In his previous books, noted management consultant Glenn Shepard showed managers how to
get the most from their workforce. Now, in How to Be the Employee Your Company Can't Live
Without, Shepard shows employees how to get the most from themselves, their jobs, and their
careers.

This practical, actionable guide explains what today's managers are really looking for in
employees, what they place the highest value on, and how employees can surpass expectations to
gain raises and promotions. Based on common-sense principles that will work for anyone in any
career, this practical, real-world guide shows you how to:

* Answer the one question that will immediately make you a highly valued employee
* Excel in your job by simply showing your employer how much you care about your job
* Create job security by earning a reputation as the most reliable person around
* Learn the right way to make mistakes
* Develop the kind of professional work ethic that gets you promoted
* Be the problem-solver companies are looking for
* And take control of your professional destiny!

Millions of Americans feel stuck in dead-end jobs that are getting them nowhere. Often they
think, despite their best efforts, that no one will notice or reward their success. How to Be the
Employee Your Company Can't Live Without shows you how to excel at the office and garner
the recognition you've worked hard to earn. Master these principles and apply them every day at
work and unlimited success will be your reward.

How To Be A Great Boss 

How to Become a Great Boss: The Rules For Getting and Keeping the Best Employees

by: Jeffrey J. Fox

Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 02/24/2010)

Did you ever have a great boss? Everyone should have one, but not enough people do. If you're a
boss, or hope to become one, or have a less-than-great boss, then this is the book that could
change your career-and your life.

In times like these, being a great boss can be harder than ever. If you want surprising and useful
advice on how to handle the tough stuff -- from having to fire a long-time employee to being a
new boss with a demoralized team -- the stories, observations, and advice contained in this gem
of a book will set your feet in the right direction. And if you just want advice on living up to the
legend who preceded you in the job, or even ways to emulate someone who was a great boss to
you, Jeffrey Fox has gathered anecdotes from some of the mightiest and most respected bosses in
America. The bestselling author who brought you How to Become CEO and How to Become a
Rainmaker knows the territory about which he speaks.

Fox is the master of the counterintuitive angle. For every boss who has implied "I know what's
best, that's why I'm the boss," Fox counsels, "Listen to Phonies, Fools, and Frauds" and "Don't
Check Expense Accounts." His stories from bosses who have cared equally for employees' lives
and the bottom line will inspire you to see that profit counts, but so do camaraderie, motivation,
and a great place to work.

In a time of considerable corporate downsizing, it's more important than ever for bosses to
surround themselves with motivated employees. Jeffrey Fox's newest volume will have a place
on the shelves of top brass everywhere who want to remain leaders of their pack.