Office Productivity and Job Training

**rock_lobster** · 12-29-08, 08:37 PM

I work for a company that indulges in 401(k) planning and design (http://www.fbanet.com/). My question to you business folks out there (especially in management or team leaders), what do you look for in an employee that would cause you to challenge them more and give the more projects and perhaps even a promotion?

I've been working at this company for about 5 months and any project I've been given I have done well and have completed it in a very timely fashion (I was told quicker than most others). Now all I'm doing is shredding and filing with little to do. I've been told that once the beginning of 2009 rolls around, I'll be busier, but I'd still like to know what it is managers and team leaders are looking for.

**CivilWars** · 12-30-08, 12:27 AM

Don't wait for your superiors to ask you to do more, but be proactive and see what needs to be done, and try to do it. Even if you do not do it 100% correct your initiative will be recognized. Most anyone can be trained to do any certain specific skills within a job set, but the valuable employees are the ones who know what needs to be done without being told, and put forth the effort to do it.

For example, a friend of mine used to own a few grocery stores. He said he would watch his employees to see how they did their job, often without them noticing. Most employees, regardless of title or position, would walk down an aisle to do something, and never notice that many of the products needed to be fronted (stock pulled from the back of the shelf to the front to make it easier for the customer to find and buy). Most of them if asked to do it would comply even if it was not technically in their job description, but few actually just noticed it and did it without asking. The few that did were the ones he looked to promote because they usually had the same attitude and initiative in regards to larger tasks as well.

**Brolotto** · 01-11-09, 12:39 AM

Rock, that is definitely true what Civil said. I always feel like there is something that can be done when you are in slow times. Whether it is making a process better or faster or preparing for another busy time and getting papers lined up and ready to go.

The other thing is when people are asking me questions. Are they looking to be trained more? Are they looking for more resources to make their job better. Anyone can be given a task to be completed, it is the initiative to learn your trade better and be prepared when the next busy spell comes.

**bryn0202** · 01-12-09, 02:33 PM

Rock - I thought somewhere, I read you were an accountant.

Just for interest sake, which side of the business are you in? plan administration or marketing?

**Consultant** · 01-16-09, 11:45 AM

Ask for more work. Do that work well, become the person they always call on first.

**rock_lobster** · 01-26-09, 03:18 PM

Originally Posted by bryn0202

Rock - I thought somewhere, I read you were an accountant.

Just for interest sake, which side of the business are you in? plan administration or marketing?

I was in accounting, but I just recently switched over to Business Administration. I just as well be an accountant though, I took enough classes.

I thought about doing tax, but in practice I didn't care for it. I would have rather done corporate accounting and eventually auditing (or forensic accounting if I was lucky).

I have a feeling I'll wind up going something like Human Resource management of some sort.

I'm not exactly sure what I want to do, but I'm dying to learn new processes and software.