Eighty percent of the work is done by twenty percent of the people employed.This rule of thumb proves to be true no matter the type or size of theorganization. 

Common sense career advice says work your butt off to be sure you are amongthe top 20 who are getting the job done. That’s a major step toward jobsecurity in these times of economic uncertainty.

Here are some career tips on how to be in the top 20.

Know where your job fits in the scheme of things and what is expected fromyou. If you and your boss haven’t agreed on a clear picture of your careerpath, ask for directions.

Monitor and document your on-the-job performance month-by-month. Gainstrength and confidence from your achievements. Learn from your mistakes.

Make sure you are receiving regular performance appraisals, so you can makemid-course corrections on your career path, and your employer recognizes theresults you are producing. Assure your boss you want to assume moreresponsibility. Seek additional training to improve your value to your currentemployer and increase your chances of landing a new job if the pink slipcomes.

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Work with a plan that sets career goals with specific actions andtimelines.

Prepare a fallback plan covering actions you would take if you were to loseyour job.  

Find out what challenges your boss is facing. Make his job easier, notharder. Demonstrate you are helping him to reach his career goals.

Stay up to date on what’s happening with your company and the businesssector in which you work.

Do more with less. Go above and beyond the call of duty.

Take the initiative; come up with new ideas. Come in early, stay late.

As added insurance, refresh and extend your contacts within and outside ofthe organization that employs you.

Solve problems, don’t create them. Don’t require special attention from yourboss and your co-workers.

Be a team player. Share the workload, as well as the credit.

Recognize there are no shortcuts to career success.

Don’t Let Negative Nellies Block Your Career Path

There’ll always be Negative Nellies who will try to distract you frommaintaining your top 20 position.  If you let them, they can throw you offyour career path.

Here are five steps you can take to thwart the negativists who inhabit allorganizations.

1. Distinguish between negativism and analytical questioning. The former isdestructive; the latter is constructive.

2. Don’t waste time and energy arguing with those who are habituallynegative. Overlook them. Avoid gossiping and spreading rumors.

3. Act quickly and decisively to examine and reject wanton negativedoubts.

4. Take action to advance your career plans when the odds are reasonably infavor of success despite those who deal in negative thoughts.

5. Avoid the company of negative thinkers. Their attitudes are contagious.Don’t engage in I-told-you-so when the negative thinkers turn out to be wrong.That only invites more of the same from them.

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