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28 March 2024

Got a new boss? Here’s how to impress him…

Published
By Shuchita Kapur
You reach office on-time every day, put in your honest share of work, and the boss would notice you toiling, appreciate your efforts and put you in line for the next promotion and increment.

Sounds perfect in a perfect world! Sadly and realistically, this happens only rarely and a majority of employees at the workplace must go further to make their efforts get noticed and ensure that the boss is not turning a blind eye or a deaf ear to all that leads to recognition at the workplace, both monetary as well as non-monetary.

While, over the years, you might have developed a good routine on how to keep the boss in the loop about your accomplishments, there might come a day when you learn that he or she is moving on to another company or has been given charge of a larger region.

The new person who comes to sit in the corner-room would, most probably, not know much about your past accomplishments – the extra hours you’ve put in, the weekends you’ve slogged and the scenes that you’ve had to face at home for being late on special occasions.

Will you have to start all over again? Will you have to go through the same grind to let the boss know that yes, you are eligible for the next promotion that you’ve been waiting for the past two years?

While there is no magic potion to impress the boss, especially a new one who might not be aware of your contributions, there are indeed some short-cuts to getting noticed – a few golden rules to impress your new superior to ensure that you don’t suffer in the long-run after having struggled for years.

Toby Simpson, Managing Director at The Gulf Recruitment Group, believes flexibility and adaptability are important traits that will impress a new boss.

“Much depends on the level of the individual, but an openness and willingness to learn and adapt to the methods, goals and mentality of a new employer is important. Too often, individuals will join and try and replicate their previous experience without blending their methods to suit the objectives of the new firm,” he told Emirates 24|7 in a scenario when the employee moves to a new job.

Recruitment experts believe employees should look at their efforts and not at any quick-fix solution to impress superiors.

“A professional work environment is not about impressing your boss but doing your job. However, we all know that to be successful at the workplace, employees need to show a new manager that they are an asset to the organisation,” says Ash Athawale, Recruitment Manager at Reed Specialist Recruitment.

This, he says, can be done by “performing the assigned job role in the best possible way and going beyond the role profile on occasions and when required. Strong work ethics, high level of attendance and timeliness help. One should not spend time on personal work while at the office. Be flexible and be a team player,” he emphasises.

After fitting into the parameters of what defines a good employee, interaction with a new boss would be appreciated and get you noticed.

“A new manager may come into the role with some awareness about existing employees and if the opportunity and environment permits, have a one-on-one meeting with the manager and get an idea of her/his expectations about your work and performance. Document those expectations and then do you best to deliver on them,” elaborates the REED expert.

Gareth Clayton, Director at Charterhouse Partnership, believes technical skills are very important to keep you ahead but not the only criteria.

“A positive and can-do attitude is quite often the best way, technical skills are clearly required but demonstrating an eagerness to learn is always important,” he says.

It may be a bit frustrating trying to prove yourself once again, but let’s take a look at the positive side of things. It could be an opportunity for you just as well. The new one may take notice of your efforts and finally give you the promotion that the previous one kept in limbo.