What Makes Someone Good at Work?

It's not all about certificates

Qualifications, skills and experience all matter, but they're not the whole story. Ask an experienced manager what makes someone genuinely good to work with, and the answer probably won't be a list of certificates. Often, it's the basics.

They turn up. They communicate. They learn. They take responsibility. They help the people around them.

For someone at the beginning of their career, these qualities can be just as important as what they've studied.

1. Showing up

It sounds simple, but being there, being prepared and ready to contribute matters. You don't need to, and won't know everything on your first day, but you do need to show that you take this opportunity seriously.

2. Communicating

Good employees keep people informed.

They ask when something isn't clear.

They let their manager know when a deadline might be missed.

They listen to instructions.

They communicate with colleagues respectfully.

You don't need to be the most confident person in the room, but making sure people know what's going on makes it easier for everyone involved.

3. Asking questions

Nobody expects a new employee to know everything. In fact, asking questions can be a sign that you're paying attention.

Rather than pretending you understand something, ask.

• 'Could you show me how that's done?'
• 'What should I prioritise?'
• 'Could you explain what you mean by that?'

Good questions help you learn faster

Good questions help you learn faster and avoid unnecessary mistakes.

4. Taking feedback

You're going to get things wrong, that's part of learning. What matters is how you respond when someone tells you that something could be better.

• Listen
• Ask questions
• Make the change
• Try again

An employee who can take feedback can develop quickly

An employee who can take constructive feedback and use it to improve can develop incredibly quickly.

5. Being reliable

If you say you'll do something, do it. If you can't, communicate early.

Reliability builds trust, and trust is one of the most valuable things you can develop at work. Your manager doesn't need to wonder whether a task will get done, and your colleagues know they can depend on you.

6. Learning from mistakes

Everyone makes mistakes. The best employees aren't necessarily the people who never get anything wrong, they're often the people who learn quickly when they do.

• Take responsibility
• Understand what happened
• Work out how to prevent it happening again
• Then move forward

A mistake can become a useful experience

A mistake can become a useful experience if you learn from it.

7. Helping others

Good employees don't only think about their own tasks.

They notice when someone needs help.

They share what they've learned.

They support their colleagues.

They contribute to the team.

You don't have to solve everyone's problems. Sometimes simply asking if someone needs a hand makes a difference.

Qualifications get you through the door

Qualifications get you through the door. What you do next matters.

For employers, this is an important reminder. When you're recruiting someone at the beginning of their career, don't focus so heavily on what they haven't done that you overlook what they could do.

Look for people who are:

• Reliable
• Curious
• Willing to learn
• Good communicators
• Open to feedback
• Prepared to take responsibility

Sometimes the best person is the one who's ready to learn

Sometimes, the best person for the job is the person who is ready to learn how to do it well.