The 7 things you can do now to get you noticed at work

Do you ever feel ignored, unheard or unnoticed at work? Like, you’re doing all of the things. Working harder, taking on more, being a "team" player, and yet still crickets "chirp chirp" when it comes to any real recognition of what you do. 

You’re tired of being told you need to “speak up more” in order to be heard. 

Yet when you do, you feel like you’re not listened to, the conversation moves on to something else after you speak. OR worst of all - someone else takes your idea and then runs with it! 

You’re smart. You have good ideas and insights. Yet, you’re sick of being told “We just need to hear from you a little more” or “You need more confidence”. 

Well, I am here to tell you this – there are more ways to get noticed at work than just being the loudest person in the room. 

In fact, I believe there is actually a reason why we have TWO ears and ONE mouth (but that’s a story for another day).

If you’re starting to feel discouraged or unmotivated and aren’t sure where to start to ensure you get noticed at work, this blog post is the one for you!  

Here, I‘ll outline some tips to help you get noticed at work - yes, even if you are a self-proclaimed introvert! 

Tip #1: Send a follow up email

Don’t feel comfortable 100% publicly sharing your thoughts or ideas in a meeting? Send a follow up email instead! If you’re not comfortable speaking up during a meeting, or maybe you’re afraid it won’t come out the right way, then don’t. 

But, do make sure following that meeting, you send an email to everyone that was in there, saying something along the lines of”... Hi team – following this afternoon’s meeting, I’ve been doing some further reflection and I’d like to put the following [insert correct word] thoughts/ideas/suggestions/recommendations out there for consideration….”. Then, put a call to action on the end of it so that people know what they need to do next. What do you want? What do you want them to do with what you’ve just presented them with?

Tip #2: Play the role of a “super connector” in your organisation

What exactly does this mean? Basically, it means that you play the role of a “connector” – you’ll be connecting other people with each other one to one, where they might be able to assist each other to get a project across the line, meet a deadline, or just help solve a problem that someone is having. This helps elevate your visibility in the organisation by showcasing you as someone who is well connected, but also a facilitator in helping others achieve their goals.

Tip #3: Pro-actively update your manager on some of the things that you’ve been working on 

Instead of just waiting for your one-on-one with your manager, or waiting for them to check up on you, be proactive and reach out to them first. Do you have any suggestions that could help your team work more efficiently?  Do you have new project ideas? What are some of the things that are coming your way that you think your manager and your team need to be aware of? Demonstrating your proactivity like this, showcases to your manager that you’re motivated and keen to grow and learn. 

Tip #4: Ask a question in a meeting that gets everyone to think about things a little bit differently

Do you typically just sit back and listen instead of adding more dialogue to an already overflowing conversation? If this is you – and if you feel like the meeting is stagnating or heading off-topic – you’re in the perfect position to ask a question. That question might be something like, “Hey team, it sounds like we’re losing focus a little bit here. What are the key problems that we’re trying to solve here again?” This question, said in the right tone with a genuine sense of care and curiosity, has the power to get an entire conversation back on track and showcase you as a pivotal player in getting to the heart of an issue, AND an active listener. 

Tip #5: Step outside your team and offer support in other departments

Broaden your visibility, learn from others, and break down silos within the business at the same time. By understanding more about other teams' challenges, priorities and needs you’ll showcase yourself as something genuinely interested in learning more about the business, a team player, and someone showcasing a true sense of enterprise leadership.  

Tip #6: Bring this knowledge back to your team and share it with them too

Once you’ve done the above, actually bring the learnings that you gained from your 1:1 conversations with people in other departments and share it with those that you work day to day with. They’ll all then learn from it too, but you’ll also become noticed as the person who is thinking bigger and considering all the moving parts of the company, not just their own section. 

Tip: #7 Develop a signature ‘style’

Another way you can get noticed inside your organisation without having to be the loudest person in the room is to create your own personal signature style. For example, if you love sneakers, own these and wear them every day in cool different styles. If earrings are more your thing, branch out and wear different styles on different days – having a signature style, or ‘thing’ that is yours always makes you more memorable and does wonders from a professional branding perspective. 

The Bottom Line

There are many ways that you can stand out at work – and you don’t always have to be the loudest person in the room to do it. By following up, connecting people, being proactive, and asking the right questions, you can get the recognition that you deserve.