Isolating Yourself at Work, Feeling Left Out at Work
You've got an inkling you're all but invisible at work—you've been left off more than a few invitations to meetings and happy hours, and you've never been tapped for a high-visibility assignment. But you haven't unknowingly been wearing Harry Potter's invisibility cloak—rather, it's more likely you're clinging to certain behaviors that are keeping you from getting noticed and getting ahead.
"You know that you're being unnoticed at work when you are being ignored, not getting a promotion, not getting assigned new projects, and not getting talked about in office conversations," says Dan Schawbel, workplace expert and author of Promote Yourself: The New Rules for Career Success. "If you aren't advancing at work, then either you're doing something wrong or you're not in a culture, or team, where you can stand out and succeed." So if you fear you're in the former, here are five behaviors to kick so they can't keep you from your career goals.
1. Keeping your head down. A strong work ethic—one that leaves little room for work friends and water cooler gossip—is admirable. "But career success is not just about our work quality—it's how we engage others and contribute to the team," explains Courtney Lynch, career expert and founding partner of Lead Star, a leadership development firm. Social skills, then, are important. "Through our interactions with others, we build relationships and people get to know us and our contributions better. So don't hide in your office or cubicle—spend time socializing in the break room, and make an effort to break from your desk every 90 minutes and walk around."
2. Not advocating for yourself. Few people like to toot their own horns, but "if you don't take credit for the work you do, and don't speak up about it, then you will go unnoticed," warns Schawbel. "And if you aren't speaking up in meetings and sharing your ideas, you will go unnoticed." If you can't find the courage to pipe up in a packed conference room, then consider asking your manager for a one-on-one meeting to discuss your contributions to the team. "You don't have to wait for a routine performance evaluation to be an advocate for yourself," says Lynch. "Use any private meeting as a chance to gain your employer's feedback on your performance, as well as share your perspective on your contributions. This will help your manager gain a greater appreciation for all you're doing to support the organization."
