How to go beyond your job description

How to go beyond your job description

Going beyond your job description is doing more than what your employer hired you to do. This is not uncommon in a tough economic environment. Many people are doing bits and pieces of work that someone else used to do.
The good news is that if you consistently go beyond your job description, your employer will notice and will want to keep you, because it’s cheaper to pay you an increase to do more work than to hire someone into the position.
Here are five ways you can go beyond your job description:
1. Keep your ears to the ground. If you hear that something needs doing and you think you can do it, volunteer for it. This will take a load off your boss’ shoulders and he will remember you for it.
2. Anticipate the needs of a project. If you’ve been tasked with a portion of a project and you know that it will require someone to also do the design or costings for instance, but no one has been assigned to it, do it yourself. This will show that you are proactive, you take initiative and you’re a valuable team member.
3. Share your ideas. Contribute to meetings and share your knowledge and ideas for the good of a project or the advancement of your team. By sharing, you are contributing to the development of your team.
4. Be helpful. Help your team members when they have too much on their plates, help train new employees and just be helpful generally.
5. Give and don’t expect to receive. If you’re a giving person, you will naturally attract rewards but don’t expect them because you’ll become a bitter person and start reversing all this good you’ve been doing. Just know that, even if it doesn’t seem like it will happen soon, you will be rewarded. And just imagine how much less you would have learned and experienced if you hadn’t been so forthcoming.
Going beyond your job description isn’t a bad thing, it’s a good thing. Never worry about working too hard – it does pay off, even if in the way of self-development.