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How Do You Measure Success at Your Job?

The Betts Team
June 4, 2020

It can be hard to know how well you’re performing at work, both in the short and long term. Key performance indicators and hard metrics are a big part of it, sure – but there are also lots of intangibles that can be tough to gauge. What’s the best way to see if you’re moving your career forward, or you’re in the right industry? How do you know if you are a cog in the wheel or are actually moving a company forward? In other words: How do you measure success at your job?

Below are four ways to define success in your current role.

How to measure success at your job

Doing well at work isn’t just about one thing. There are lots of vectors of success you should be chasing. If you’re firing on all of these cylinders, you’re officially killing it.

Career growth

Firstly, if you’re receiving promotions then you’re most likely good at your job. To dive deeper though, long term career growth should be headed in the direction you want to go. If you haven’t yet, take the time to track where you’ve been – experience, title, salary, department, industry – and then plot how these can be stepping stones to where you want to go. Salary is one that most people naturally think about: “How much more do I want to be making by this time next year?” But other questions are important, too: “Would I be more fulfilled selling to a different vertical, and if so, how can I get there?” “What new job title should I pair with my next promotion as a way of beefing up my resume?”

If you’re receiving a promotion at regular intervals, your company is aware of your professional contributions and values your commitment. If you have a game plan for where you want to head, you can make sure that your career growth is pushing you towards career success.

Team cohesion

Working with a team can be challenging. With different backgrounds, methods of doing things, and ideas of best practice, it’s easy to hit roadblocks. But if you’ve found that you’re working through setbacks more easily than when you started, you’re seeing professional success. Learning how to work efficiently within a team is a skill that takes practice. There are many ways to get better at it, from making your division of tasks and responsibilities smarter to nurturing intra-team relationships through social events and team building exercises.

Developing this is something you can highlight on a resume and utilize when looking for leadership positions. And of course, it can ensure you’re always producing your best work.

Planning ahead

Do you think about projects that are months off? Are you viewing a company’s plan for the entire year? If you’re thinking ahead in regards to your company, then you’re seeing success at your career. It’s a big sign that you’re invested in your company’s mission. You’re seeing how the company’s executives are moving either the product or service forward – and you’re on board.

Although this might seem like more success on the company’s side, finding a position that inspires you, motivates you to create large game plans, and doesn’t leave you wishing you were somewhere else is the dream for many employees.

Revenue

Lastly, regardless of your industry or department, you should know how you affect a company’s bottom line. Although not everyone may be in revenue generating position likes sales, marketing, and customer success, all add to a company’s earnings. Take the time to run your personal key performance indicators. What aspect of your job is making the most impact? Where should you focus your efforts for improvement? Being aware of the fiscal role in your company is a great way to measure success over time.

If you want to know how to measure success at your job, you can’t just look in one place. It’s a holistic process. Keep these things in mind, and you’ll be on the right track.