It's a huge achievement to get a job in the current climate, with the coronavirus pandemic affecting the jobs market and causing many countries to go into recession. So once you've aced the application process you need to continue to impress your employer and make yourself indispensable. With the help of HR professionals, we round up some key tips for becoming the type of employee your company won’t be able to do without. 

As redundancy numbers skyrocket, it's important to show your employer your unique skillset. Having capabilities that set you apart from the rest of the crowd will help to secure your job, so try bringing something else to your team, or refining a skill you already have. Having a USP is what will make you most valuable to your employer, Jeffrey Ng, director at Michael Page International explains.

Although it’s good to develop an expertise, you also need to be able to share your knowledge with the rest of your team so you can add value to the entire department. “Be willing to educate others and gain yourself a status as an invaluable training asset,” Ng says.

According to Chris Gaborit, managing director of The Learning Factor, it’s important not to over focus on the next job role you’re aiming for, and to instead focus on the skills that can be developed in order to do that job well. “You have to do the job before you get the title,” he says.

Safeguarding yourself at work is much easier when you have important people on your side. Build relationships with the people who make key decisions. Gaborit says: “Being connected and building relationships with people who matter in the business can not only make you indispensable in your current role, but can take you a long way in your career.”

Showing an aptitude for leadership can be a good way to move up the career ladder, but it's also important to show that you can follow instructions. According to Carol Silvis, author of 101 Ways to Make Yourself Indispensable at Work, following directions shows you can listen, interpret, integrate and take action without the help of others. 

It may seem obvious, but it’s not just the key decision makers you need to buddy up to. Treat everybody with genuine respect, Ng says. You never know who you’ll end up working with/for, so treat people as you would want to be treated.

Always be honest. Whether you’ve made a mistake, missed a deadline or made a bad judgement, the key is to communicate the mistakes you’ve made, Silvis says. Communicating will help you to find good solutions to any problems and move on from them quickly and smoothly.

Regardless of what job you’re in, generating new ideas is essential. Silvis explains how you can earn a lot of credibility if you gain a reputation around the company for being an “ideas person”. “Resist the urge to sit back and play it safe by letting others supply the ideas,” she says.

It’s all well and good saying you’re going to make headway on an exciting new project, but if your ideas don’t come to fruition, then you’re not adding any value to the team. Show you can get stuff done – work on projects with key stakeholders and prove how hardworking you are, Ng says.

Do you think you could do your work more efficiently? If so, analyse what could make you work a little quicker while still maintaining standards. Silvis says: “If you really want to increase your value to your company, find a way to save time or money or to increase profits.”

If the pandemic has taught us anything in the workplace, it's the importance of adaptability. Taking challenges in your stride is an attractive quality to employers, and the ability to embrace change will serve you well. “Those who rise in the midst of crisis and see it as an opportunity for change and growth, become greater and more powerful,” Gaborit says.

According to Ng, it’s important to prioritise work that is important, not the work that is easiest to do. “This will help build your profile within the business. Volunteering for projects that other employees don’t want to do will ensure that you are seen as a dedicated go-getter and a valuable member of the team,” he says.

Managers don’t want problems, Ng adds. They want solutions to problems. “If you want to be indispensable, you need to find ways to solve problems faced by the business. When you overhear your colleagues complaining about something that isn’t working, figure out how to fix it and you’ll increase your value to your manager and to the company as a whole,” he says.

Getting and keeping a job is harder than ever. In such a competitive market, you need to work hard to keep up. Silvis explains: “To gain that edge, you need to excel at your job by setting high personal standards and working hard to attain them”. 

Everybody wants to have an easier job. Why do you think so many companies employ interns to do the mundane tasks? “Try and find a gap in skills so that there are things you can do that your boss can’t. The more heavily your boss relies on you, the more indispensable you become,” Ng says.

Sometimes, you just need to follow your gut. If you know what is being required of you, just get on with it. Silvis explains: “Self-starters require far less supervision, and supervisors appreciate employees who complete tasks accurately with little or no supervision.”

This doesn’t just mean turning up on time. Ng says reliability is about showing you can cope when things get tough and that you can help out in any situation. Anybody can be punctual, but fewer people can really prove their worth in tricky situations.

It won’t come as a surprise that gossiping and spreading rumors isn’t going to get you very far. “Whether the gossip is true or not is inconsequential. It is unethical and unreliable; professionals should avoid it.”

“Putting forth that little extra effort takes you from being a mediocre employee to a valuable one, and consistently doing more than required – and doing it well – raises your visibility with management,” Silvis explains.

Experts at Robert Half claim focusing on the bottom line is a great way of setting yourself apart from others. If your company is looking to invest in a new product and you know of a cheaper option that produces the same results, don’t be afraid to recommend it. Saving your firm some money here and there will prove how vital your presence is.

While it might be tempting to push boundaries and take risks, rules are put in place to create structure and routine within the company. Silvis explains that when an employee or group of employees abuse or disregard company policies, it sends the wrong message to supervisors and can cause chaos and loss of productivity.

We all start a new job with an eagerness and willingness to learn, and it can quickly disappear as we settle in. But Silvis claims enthusiasm is something over which we have personal control. “We can decide to be enthusiastic simply by making up our minds and doing it,” she says.

Finally, working from home can be an isolating experience, but make sure you ask for help if you need it. Silvis says: “Put key people in place who are competent and efficient enough to take a load off your to-do list. Do what you do best, and delegate the rest.”