Remain valuable to your employer as an employee

Companies change, goals and areas of responsibility grow, and with them the requirements placed on employees. Staying competitive is the key to remaining valuable to your employer as an employee. Often, it is no longer enough to relax in the position you've held for many years-you also need to continue bettering yourself. Improving upon your own abilities, working on so-called soft skills, and adjusting to changing requirements-all of this requires a high level of initiative. Take these tips to heart to maintain your marketability and to make yourself indispensible to your company.

Keeping your own abilities up to date is the best way to remain valuable to your employer as an employee. Concentrate on things that you have mastered and that you enjoy doing-this helps you learn quickly. And in truth, your strengths are what convinced your employer to hire you in the first place. However, stay open to changed requirements and maintain your marketability. Reading job advertisements in your industry might help. Would you fulfil the required profile? In what areas would you need to improve to remain competitive?

More than ever before, flexibility is the key to sustained professional success. The easier it is for you to adapt to new situations, the more likely it is for you to be a candidate for new areas of responsibility. Your boss certainly will not let such an employee go easily. Thus, prepare for possible new areas of responsibility and offer your services for new projects. This keeps you competitive, and you may look forward to exciting challenges.

Your network is one of the most important tools for maintaining and advancing your career. Use your contacts to find out how your industry is growing, where shortages may occur, where your abilities are needed, and where your own marketability stands. Within your network you can also find interesting contacts who can help you develop new abilities. Networking functions as a give and take-offer your support and get valuable information and assistance in return. Of course, remaining valuable to your employer as an employee takes a lot of effort. But do not put yourself under a lot of pressure. No one is absolutely perfect in his or her métier. All you need to do is take the first step to retain your marketability and show your openness to new challenges. Regularly consider your own qualifications and find out where you can improve. This keeps you competitive, not just in your own industry, but also on the job market.