Updated April 20, 2023
Introduction To Reputation Levels
Reputation levels, although a simple word but possess deep meanings. And these simple words can prove to be life-altering realities. Reputation levels can build your career and destroy it, and building reputation levels that can take you to the top of success is neither an easy task nor a one-day job. Hence, it’s righteously said, “Reputation levels are not built in a day but can be destroyed in a split second”.
Whether you are building an empire or seeking a job, if you want to stick to it and make a career out of it, it’s better to start building your reputation levels from the day you plan to enter the corporate world.
Irrespective of the type of psychological livelihood you choose, people judge you on what they hear and think about you even before they have met you in person, and for them, this is what matters. Many things in this world can be achieved, but a good impression/reputation levels are not one of them; it can never be achieved overnight; it is a consistent behavior whose outcome over time grants you good reputation levels. It is earned by those who truly deserve it.
Having a good name brings many prospects. It provides high recommendations for jobs, and invitations to contribute to esteemed research teams. You are even introduced to those who can prove to be a milestone in your career. People like you. Precisely, people are willing to help and be associated with those who possess good character.
However, one major mistake can considerably damage the name you have built in the long run, leading to missed chances and extreme difficulty in regaining others’ confidence in you.
Now the question that troubles me the most is what to do. What needs to be done to build a great reputation value?
Steps to Build Reputation Levels
Here are a few steps, if followed sincerely, can help you build your desirable reputation levels :
#1. Treat everyone with respect and kindness
Irrespective of their status, gender, or section in which they work, you should treat everyone with equality. Treating everyone with respect and equality makes you loved by all, as it’s easy to treat the head of the company with politeness, but it’s a completely different perspective to treat others in the same way. The warmth and comfort in the atmosphere around a person who treats everyone with courtesy, kindness, respect, and politeness can never be felt around a rude person.
#2. Be a man of your word
Never go against your word. Be a man of your word and do as you promised within the specified time frame. Whether it be a big project you must complete by giving extra time and effort or connecting with someone you know, do as you have promised. Keeping your promises make others believe that they can trust and rely on you and that you are a man whose commitments are iron-clad.
#3. Work hard
It may sound simple, and many would think that all people work hard, so how will this help me build a great reputation value? But if you properly look around, you will see that many people just sit around wasting their time making excuses, testing, taking their personal calls or on Facebook, etc., that if you work hard, it will make you stand out. But remember, working hard never means becoming a workaholic, and you can’t even take five minutes to break for your personal cause all day. It just means that when you are at work, you are actually at work and not the working kind of work which generally people does.
#4. Go beyond the expectations of others
Generally, people are afraid of going beyond or above the job requirements and hence avoid going any further even though they know it is for the good and betterment of the project. The other reason for not going beyond the requirements is the thought of not being compensated for the additional work. Usually, people think that they are imputing if they are not being paid for the extra effort, so they should not even do it. But the truth is, it benefits you in the long run. If you always go beyond the minimum standard set, in the long term, it is certain that you will be awarded for your achievements and dedication either by your own employer or by the next company you might join. This level of dedication enhances your reputation value which attracts job offers, better and higher pay, better assignments and projects, job security, and many options that can build your career.
#5. Help others to build the professional reputation levels
One of the fastest ways to build reputation value is by aiding others without expecting any favors. If you ever find a place to help your colleagues or anyone, offer to pitch in, like assisting someone in their project or referring someone’s résumé to your boss. People who are kind with their time and aid to build up their bonds with others generally become known as valuable assets. It is common to think that way to waste time helping others when you can use it for your personal benefit. But think of yourself in their position and now imagine them in yours, then it will become clear for you to imagine why you need to help others.
#6. Be frank and honest about your biases
We are humans, so having biases at the office is completely normal. Hence having biases is not a problem, but it arises when you start hiding them from your boss or others, as it destroys your credibility. For example, suppose you disparage a coworker’s ideas without greeting that you might be partly prejudiced by the supplementary work those ideas would create for you. In that case, you might appear to have a special agenda against that co-worker. But if you do admit that reality before you explain your opposition, your statements will have far more reliability – and so will you.
#7. Welcome grave feedback or opinions
People who are great at their work and intend to do it generally crave to know where they can do even better – they are neither afraid nor insecure about learning where they have room for perfection. Querying for feedback shows that you are poised in your job but unpretentious enough to want to progress. And it has the advantage of helping you understand and learn where you could improve. And this is something you won’t ever be able to learn if you get upset or self-justifying when your colleagues or friends try to give you feedback.
#8. Don’t be an amateur
Don’t wind up at an infuriating co-worker, vent to a customer, or even abandon the ship out of anger. For many years, a single slip like this can dent your career and professional behavior.
#9. Personal and professional life should be separate
It is possible that your work friends may become your best friend. But it believed in real professionals and consultants-“One needs to keep in mind that, firstly, these are professional bondings.” Even if you work at a modish company where fun is integral to its culture, it doesn’t mean that work is a frat party. If you have been invited to a lunch or an after-work drink party, don’t binge on too much alcohol and never overshare, you never know when friends might turn into enemies and what might be used against you. “You need to be smart,” says the consultants. Suppose there is some confidential information that you are not willing to make others a part of it then don’t do or say it. In the passage of time, you’ll understand and learn properly about your colleagues and vice versa, but it will happen gradually and not overnight.
#10. Offer views with diplomacy
The company hired you because your employer and others saw your dedication and skills. Your opinion is precious for the development and future of the firm. However, remember to offer it politely and respectfully. Blurting out things as if you’re an experienced specialist is not a good tactic. It’s wonderful that you have a fresh outlook, but presenting it in a righteous manner is equally important; otherwise, the whole idea is futile. Instead of questioning the current approach, propose a new method to showcase your innovative thinking without offending management or the company’s current methods.
#11. Find It Out
It’s essential to ask many questions when you’re new to any job, and even your boss realizes that. But don’t pepper them with doubts all day long. You have to understand when you need to seek help from your boss and when you can’t. They are really busy and cannot babysit you. The new employees must understand their work autonomously without reaching their supervisors until and unless necessary. Familiarize yourself with relevant people associated with the job. Your employer will value that you’ve learned how things work and started interacting with people throughout the firm. You don’t want to keep lagging behind just because of the fact that you are a newcomer because that explanation, with time, will fade, and people will lose trust in you.
#12. Handle some situations without being asked to
The best way to gain the appreciation of your employer is by presenting initiative and creativity. Take on a project or assignment that everyone else is dodging. Like, the supply closet is a muddle. Or there might be a huge logjam at an important filing cabinet. There can be an important database which is important but is dolefully obsolete or outdated. Input in a few extra moments regularly so that your side project does not intervene with your primary obligations. Completing a side project can earn you the respect of your supervisor and the appreciation of your coworkers. You need to step up if you wish to go ahead of the others.
#13. Give acknowledgment
Emphasizing the integrity of your bases of knowledge, as well as other persons, boosts your reliability. After all, no one is up-and-coming without the help of others. Admitting to those who have had a role in your progress and accomplishments is necessary. Professionals who share their achievements with those who have helped them on their path successfully maintain their credibility. A good image won’t prevent mistakes, but it can help you get support and time to react appropriately and show your errors were unintentional.
#14. Readdress undesirable talk to fruitful conversations
During tough assignments, it’s amazingly easy for the discussion to take a vicious diversion. But an adverse tenor demoralizes employees and hence, hampers progress. In place of following blindly on the trend, try to shift the discussion in a constructive route. Focus on tasks within your team’s scope and maintain a positive environment. In addition to observing your self-control and emphasis, your co-workers may begin up to you for governance on future assignments. Managers may view you as an emerging leader and recognize your potential for guidance, potentially leading to new opportunities.
Recommended Articles
This has been a guide to Reputation levels. Here we have discussed a brief overview of 14 steps to building a desirable reputation level. You may look at the following articles to learn more –