Throughout my decades working in career development and advancement, I have been asked hundreds of questions regarding why some individuals feel that their hard work doesn’t translate into new job opportunities, promotions, or business ventures. The first thing I often ask is, “are you a hard worker or a smart worker?” Most people respond by asking me, “what do you mean smarter or harder?”
In my opinion, smart workers are always thinking about how to increase their personal and professional visibility among senior leaders and decision makers. For example, if you develop a PowerPoint presentation for your supervisor, put your name and date in the footer of the document. Your name is now permanently attached to the document. Although a minor detail, it is something that can show others the major role you played in the document’s creation.
Working hard is always staying in your “lane” and playing by someone else’s rules. And truth is, that does not help you advance and grow quickly. However, working smarter is strategically thinking about new ways to work with co-workers from other departments by volunteering to help plan the annual staff meeting and retreat. Working smart is about doing minor and massive things to help people remember your name and know/recognize your work.
Whether you work on a project for one week or one year, make sure that you keep a detailed record of everything that you do. Save every “congrats” or “great job” email or post it. Keep an electronic and paper file of your kudos and feedback on your work. When it comes time for your annual performance review, use this file of information to update your supervisor on your annual accomplishments and achievements. In short, do whatever you can to stand out and be rewarded for the contributions that you make.
