When it's the busiest season for your company. Many businesses are cyclical—think accounting firms, landscaping contractors, wedding planners—and employees should take the seasonal fluctuations into account when planning trips. "You want to be sure you're giving your group and your supervisors the impression that you're a team player—you are there and you're doing what you have to do to book revenue," Strankowski notes. There are ancillary benefits to being in the office during the busy season and taking your vacation later. If you take a vacation during the busiest days, you'll face more interruptions. So it's to your advantage to take your vacation at a slower time.
Immediately following a merger or acquisition. Visibility is critical in the period following a merger or acquisition, as your company and team are being scrutinized for things like relevance, productivity, and necessity. One of the chief concerns after a merger is redundancy, but showing up and working hard can help employees make a case for themselves.
During executive or key client visits. This is another point when visibility is critical: When a person of authority is traveling to your branch or office, you want to be there to maintain your identity as a strong player. Many of these visits are scheduled in advance, so the onus is on the employee to plan for them, Strankowski says.
Anytime a team member or supervisor leaves. This is the ultimate opportunity for you to step up, take a leadership role, and set yourself apart. "It's all about creating value in the workforce today," Strankowski says. "They have to position themselves as that star athlete, that star performer, that star player," he says. Offering to take over some responsibilities can increase your marketability at work.
Reader Comments Read all comments (13)
Chris of IN 2:13PM September 24, 2010
rick of MI 11:57PM August 31, 2010
rick of MI 11:41PM August 31, 2010