No matter the job you take on, employers love a self-starter. When you’re low-maintenance and only asking the questions that will make you better at your job, no one feels like you have to have your hand held. No one is worried that they can’t trust you to make decisions or do the right thing without having it explained to you. Self-starters see what needs to be done and take care of it without being asked. They are trustworthy, motivated and ambitious. You don’t have to be a born self-starter. Here are three ways you can embrace more of the self-starter qualities at your new job.
1. Don’t Let Discomfort Stop You
That feeling that you might be out of your depth? Embrace it. When no one has the time to teach you to swim, you learn yourself. You don’t have to throw yourself into the deep end, though. Take baby steps. Most companies have moved to a self service IT model. Jump into the system and get yourself set up for access to the proper drives and files. You can also review your benefits and any online training while your permissions are established. It’s a good way to spend the first day or two while your system access is still in limbo and you might not have a lot else to do.
When you can’t access systems, it’s also a good opportunity to get out there and meet coworkers and get a feel for the company. Walk around and introduce yourself. Ask people to explain their roles and the systems they use to get their jobs done. Overcoming discomfort allows you to learn about yourself and others and expands your boundaries. You’ll find problems to solve and build relationships with people who can help you achieve your goals.
2. Set Goals For Yourself
Having goals is an important step to becoming a self-starter. At first your goals may be related to learning your role, but right from the start look for ways you can implement process improvement. Share your goals with your supervisor and ask for feedback and guidance on other ways you can help. There may be teams you could join that work on improvements across the company. When you create goals remember the SMART method. Goals need to be:
- Specific: instead of broad goals like getting better at your job, focus on learning a particular system or completing an order faster.
- Measurable: unless you have a finish line you’ll never know if you won.
- Achievable: you want to stretch yourself but unrealistic goals bring disappointment. If you have a larger goal, set small weekly goals to help you achieve your ultimate ends.
- Relevant: verify with your supervisor that what you’re doing will actually make a difference.
- Time-Sensitive: set a goal that can be reached within one or two weeks.
3. Keep Your Team In the Loop
If you want to be seen as a self-starter it’s no time to hide that light under a bushel. Keep your supervisor updated every week with your goal progress. Talk to your coworkers about your goals and bring them in for brainstorming on ways you could further improve how your team functions. Transformation isn’t implemented by one person. Even if what you do only affects your workflow, sharing your innovations means others can find ways to apply your steps to their own work. Keeping your team in the loop doesn’t mean being pushy or showing off, but being realistic about what you’re doing and how it can be implemented for company-wide improvements.
Conclusion
You can transform yourself into a self-starter no matter where you are in your career. Practice these three steps and soon seeking out change and improvement will come naturally to you. Embrace your discomfort as a sign that you are stretching yourself to meet important goals that add value to your role, to your team and to your company.
