Crafting your professional reputation

A good reputation is difficult and time-consuming to build. It can be used as currency to open doors of opportunities for yourself and others.{{more}}

Unfortunately, your reputation can be easily destroyed, and once damaged it is nearly impossible to rebuild to its original status. As a result, being strategic about crafting your reputation is essential to your success.

What kind of reputation do you have? Think in descriptive words, like dependable, honest, diplomatic, polished, etc. Are you known as a go-getter, a gossip, a problem solver, a whiner, a slacker, or a flatterer?

What do you do on a regular basis to maintain or reduce this view of yourself? How do you see yourself? If you do not like your reputation, begin the process to change it. Here are few areas to consider as you think strategically about crafting your reputation.

Be a person of your word. Your actions speak louder than your words, so make sure your word can be trusted.

Response time with email, phone calls. How long does it take you to return communications, 24 hours or less or days?

Punctuality to work, meetings and company functions. Coworkers are watching when you arrive or even if you arrive to be early and be consistent.

Your track record in handling high-pressure situations. Do you cave under pressure or do you complain? Be a problem solver and stay pleasant about it. Your coworkers want positive people around not naysayers.

Honesty in communications. There is no such thing as a little white lie. Even if the truth may sting a bit, be known for honesty.

Quality of your work. At the end of the day, it’s about the quality of your performance. Companies want hardworking individuals who can ultimately produce work that can save or make the organization money. Are you one of them?

Willingness to participate in non work events. If the company is hosting an optional after work event, it is in your best interest to attend. This is all part of building alliances that you can use later.

Access to a mentor. A mentor could give your reputation a good boost as you are allowing someone to teach you and you gain an unofficial representative who will sing your praise if you are coachable.

The key to building and managing your reputation is consistency. Your reputation is being built when you do simple things. Be conscious of your daily activities and how they affect your reputation.

Karen Hinds President/CEO – Workplace Success Group, Toll Free: 1-877-902-2775;

Tel: 1-203-757-4103

A CT Winner of the Make Mine a Million Dollar Business award!

Karen@WorkplaceSuccess.com