Exjackly

Why do people drink Coke over Pepsi?  Or Pepsi over Coke?  What about choosing between sugar, Equal, Nutrasweet, and Splenda?  Proponents of each can – and will – speak out about the virtues that make each one better than the other options.

This difference is critical.  And not just for food and drink.

Promotions

When choosing somebody to promote, managers look at what differentiates their employees.  One may put in 80 hours a week.  Another can plow through repetitive and boring tasks quickly.  Another is the troubleshooter – able to solve any problem given the time and space to work on it.

The employee chosen will depend on the requirements of the new job and how they are percieved by the decision maker(s).

My Identifier

My unique identifier is that I am flexible and broad-based.  I know a little bit about a lot of things.  In addition, within my mind is the ability to easily translate previous experience to a new situation.  Therefore, I can be brought into a new environment or situation and quickly be useful.

In Information Technology (IT), this is a very valuable ability.  Tools and technologies change very quickly and often people are asked to use multiple tools at once.  Even different versions of the same tools can be very different.  People like myself are uncommon.  It is not unusual to take weeks for somebody new to a project to become productive.  I can, and have, make positive contributions from the first day to the last day I am a part of a project even if using products I have never worked with before.

Think About Yours

Think about what your unique identifier is.  How do you see yourself?  Are you a reliable, steady worker?  A mad scientist who gets surprising and good results?  A people-person who brings out the best around you?

Take some time and write out your identifier, like I did above.  In most cases, it should be general statements where the benefit to an employer/client is the focus.  The last sentence in each paragraph above is my identifier.

Entrepreneurs will recognize this as the classic elevator pitch.  This is how you tell people what you/your business/your product can do for them.  If they buy, what do they get?

Realize that an identifier can be negative as well as positive.  If your is negative, fix it now.  If it is not as good as you want it to be, upgrade it now.  Find a simple change that will make an improvement.  Make that change.  Repeat with a new change.  Continue until you reach the limits of what you are willing to commit to.

Recognize that the lower your limits are, the less distance your identifier can take you.  This is not always a bad thing.  Working 80-100 hour weeks is a positive thing for very few people.  That is why most of us do not do that.  Yet, if we worked more hours at the same level of productivity as we do now, most of us could go further in our careers.

Use Your Identifier

Now that your personal identifier is in tip-top shape, use it.  At the very least, speak with your boss and point out the improvements.  Ask for something consistent with the improvement – more flexibility, new responsibility, promotion, a pay raise, public recognition, etc.  Asking for a promotion because you come in 15 minutes earlier every day is not fair unless you have been under-recognized before.

If you get it, great.  If not, do not be afraid to look for a new employer who will recognize your worth and treat you accordingly.  Once you have that offer, it is up to you to choose how to proceed: resign gracefully or negotiate with your current employer for something similar or better.  Only you know which will be right for you.

Regardless, work to maintain your personal identifier and do not be afraid to continue to work to improve it.  Use it intelligently and take care of yourself.  Do not forget that your personal identifier applies outside of work too.  The rewards will be different, but how you are percieved and think of yourself has a huge influence on your relationships and success in life.