Every business has one – a project that needs to be done but just keeps getting postponed.

You’ll hear your supervisors talking about them again and again:

The networking event nobody ever goes to but should.

The blog someone should be writing to optimize your website’s search results.

The broken onboarding system

Working to improve something that’s “not your job” gets you noticed.  

It’s what your bosses and their bosses will comment on repeatedly when they see you in the elevator or at the office holiday party.   And while you’ll be thinking, “But I’m also doing great on my regular work,” your boss thinks of that as table stakes.

And it’s what you’ll (proudly) discuss in future interviews, add as a bullet on your resume, and walk taller because you did something anyone could’ve done, but nobody did – you took the initiative.

Listen for opportunities to untangle something that nobody else wants to do.

And then surprise everyone by jumping in to do it.

Hint:  It can be as small as replacing the lightbulb in the office fridge or as large as revamping the company’s interview process.

HT to my son Louis who, despite being an excellent staffer, finds that everyone remembers him as the “guy who revamped the office’s interviewing process.”

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